Rafael Nadal on Thursday said that tennis “cannot resume until the situation is completely safe” and if the US Open was being played this week, he would not take part.
World No. 2 Nadal, who captured a fourth US Open and 19th major in New York City last year, said that the COVID-19 pandemic still casts huge doubts over the tennis calendar, which has been suspended since mid-March.
“We cannot resume until the situation is completely safe and fair in terms of health in that all players, wherever they come from, can travel and play tournaments in safe conditions,” Nadal told reporters via videoconferencing. “If you told me to play the US Open today, I would say ‘no.’ In a few months, I don’t know. I hope so.”
Photo: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY
The ATP and WTA schedules have been on ice since March with action not set to resume until the end of July.
In normal times, the French Open would have been deep into its second week with Nadal expected to win the Paris trophy for the 13th time.
However, for Nadal, there are far more complex and significant matters to consider even if he could have been within touching distance of Roger Federer’s all-time record of 20 Grand Slams.
“In my mind, if the whole world is suffering, if a lot of people are dying because of this pandemic, we cannot imagine organizing a huge sporting event with lots of people from around the world,” Nadal said. “It would not be realistic. In my opinion, this was the wrong message to send a few weeks ago.”
The US Open remains on the schedule, but there are still doubts over whether it is to take place with New York City being the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis in the US.
The tournament at Flushing Meadows, as well as the rearranged Roland Garros, could be staged behind closed doors.
Last year, the US Open attracted a record crowd of almost 740,000, while the French Open brought in 520,000 specators.
“Honestly, I hate the idea [of playing behind closed doors], but if it’s the only solution, why not?” Nadal added.
As far as Roland Garros is concerned, Nadal understands that the conditions under which he must defend his title could be very different from those he is used to in May and June in Paris.
“If that’s what is going to happen, I will have to adapt, like everyone else,” Nadal said. “If it is finally possible to play Roland Garros, I will try to prepare myself as best as possible to be very competitive.”
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