According with Daily Tennis, with the fine writer Robert Waltz, “the plans to restart the season are getting serious — and, arguably, seriously weird.”
That is true.
In eight weeks, it is possible that the players will go up against each other in real tournaments. Most people like to watch the exhibitions, but 95 percent want to see the legitimate matches, such as the U. Open. The huge one. A real Grand Slam.
This is what I really believe: At some point this year, a few fans will go to watch at the tournaments. Not a gigantic amount, but a few, because the owners know that if there are no fans at all, then most events will lose money, perhaps a tremendous amount of money. So, what is the point of making a legitimate effort to hold a tournament this year? That is why dozens of tournaments have pulled out for the rest of the year. But, hats off to tournament owners who decide to operate in 2020 because then the they really love tennis. Good for them.
But, the tennis world has to figure it out in the next month or so. The aggressive coronavirus — which has now been responsible for 116,000 American deaths since March 11 — may still ravage more people in the summer and fall. Then all of the sports will continue to stop at the big events.
However, Daily Tennis has a schedule, here [not the entire schedule]:
- Week of August 3: Charleston
- Week of August 10: Washington
- Week of August 17: Cincinnati
- Week of August 24-September 7: US Open
- Week of September 14: Madrid and Istanbul
- Week of September 21: Rome
- Week of September 28 and October 5: Roland Garros
- Week of October 5: Seoul and Tianjiin
There are other tournaments in the fall, such as Beijing and Wuhan, that are yet to be decided. But, the tournaments and the tours are still working on it.
Right after the US Open ends, the players will go straight from hardcourts onto the clay at Roland Garros in Paris. That would be an incredibly quick turnaround, but that could be thrilling, especially for the player go deep into the second week of both Slams. Back to back will be very tough, but the top 10 players rarely give up.
NOTES
Roger Federer pulled out for the rest of the year due this second surgery this year. He hurt his leg while practicing last week; so he had to stop playing. It will take him a couple more months to become healthy, and he didn’t want to risk his leg again. As he said, he can’t wait to play again in January 2021. That is a long time, but the good news is that he wants to play again, even though he is will be 39 then. March on.
Rafa Nadal has said that the rest of the year, they may not play in a legitimate match in the summer and the fall. He could be right, or he could be wrong, but currently, no one knows how tennis will play out. But, with in a second, if he plays a Grand Slam, he will be right there.
A high-level exhibition is coming to Charleston June 23-28. The field consists of: Sofia Kenin, Bianca Andreescu, Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys, Victoria Azarenka, Amanda Anisimova, Monica Puig, Ajla Tomljanovic, Danielle Collins, Alison Riske, Shelby Rogers, Genie Bouchard, Jennifer Brady, Leylah Fernandez and Emma Navarro. That is an excellent field.