US Open to go ahead without fans, says New York Governor Andrew Cuomo

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday gave the inexperienced gentle for the US Open to be held from Aug. 31-September 13 with out followers as a part of the state’s reopening from shutdowns associated to the COVID-19 outbreak. Cuomo mentioned on Twitter the United States Tennis Association (USTA) will take “extraordinary precautions” to guard gamers at its marquee occasion together with sturdy testing, extra cleansing, additional locker room house and devoted lodging.

No skilled tennis tournaments have been held since March as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, which has left the game’s calendar in tatters, and the shutdown will prolong till August. The Australian Open is the one Grand Slam occasion to have been performed to date this yr. The French Open has been moved to September and is because of begin one week after the scheduled US Open males’s remaining, whereas Wimbledon has been cancelled.

“We recognise the tremendous responsibility of hosting one of the first global sporting events in these challenging times, and we will do so in the safest manner possible, mitigating all potential risks,” USTA Chief Executive Mike Dowse mentioned in an announcement.

The USTA will give extra particulars on the preparations for the match on Wednesday together with the official announcement.

While quite a lot of prime gamers had expressed issues about attending the Grand Slam as a result of novel coronavirus, the USTA had mentioned it hoped to go forward with the occasion as long as it obtained approval from the state.

World quantity ones Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Australian Ash Barty together with reigning US Open males’s champion Rafa Nadal are among the many prime gamers who’ve expressed issues about attending the New York match.

Australian Nick Kyrgios on Monday blasted the USTA for being “selfish” by urgent forward with the US Open on its unique dates from August 31 to September 13.

Spaniard Nadal mentioned earlier this month he wouldn’t journey to the US Open in current circumstances, whereas Djokovic mentioned enjoying the occasion this yr can be unimaginable given “extreme” protocols that may be in place.

The US Open is held yearly in New York City, which has been hit arduous by the pandemic. The USTA’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Center was even changed into a short lived hospital to assist in the battle towards the virus.

Last yr’s US Open drew an all-time attendance file of practically 740,000 followers and the occasion is the engine that drives the governing USTA.

The resolution by Cuomo comes one week after the USTA mentioned it is going to eradicate 110 jobs and shut its White Plains, New York workplace to assist fight the detrimental far-reaching monetary results of the pandemic.