US Open 2021: Covid vaccine being mandatory in sport ‘inevitable’
Players are divided over making the Covid vaccine mandatory for competition and now some of the biggest names in tennis have had their say.
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Proof of Covid-19 vaccinations are mandatory for adult US Open spectators but not for players -- and that’s something Victoria Azarenka finds “bizarre.”
Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open winner and three-time US Open runner-up from Belarus, told fans after her victory she was glad they were all vaccinated for the deadly virus, a requirement mandated by New York City officials.
“I want to start this conversation between our players, because to me it’s a bit bizarre that fans have to be vaccinated and players are not,” Azarenka said.
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“In my opinion, it’s inevitable that it will be mandated at some point. I don’t see the point of stalling it, because I think we all want to be safe, to continue doing our jobs and I know there is a lot of discussions about it.”
The WTA says nearly half its players are vaccinated while the ATP says just over half its players are vaccinated.
PLAYERS DIVIDED
Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas controversially said last month he would get vaccinated only if it was mandatory.
“At some point I’ll have to, I’m pretty sure about it, but so far it hasn’t been mandatory to compete, so I haven’t done it,” he said.
Just over half of Americans have been vaccinated, reflecting divisions much like those among elite players.
“I respect everybody’s opinion as long as it’s not conspiracy theory, if you actually have decent knowledge and looked into research and have your facts and stats and research,” said Azarenka.
“That part of conversation, that really you need to be knowledgeable to what you’re saying, is missing in a lot of players.”
Russian second seed Daniil Medvedev, the 2019 US Open and 2021 Australian Open runner-up, isn’t for players talking over the merits of mandatory vaccinations, leaving the decision to ATP and WTA officials.
“I understand why they did it to the fans. So far it has not been applied to the players,” Medvedev said. “As players, we can just follow the guidelines and rules. That’s all we can do.
“It’s not for players to decide, because that’s why we have governing bodies in tennis. Sometimes we might not be happy with them. Sometimes we might be happy. But it’s still them who make the decisions. It’s definitely not players.
“We are just, you know, hard workers who do their job on the tennis court.”
A positive test would deny players that opportunity, US Open tournament director Stacey Allaster warned.
“We have a rigorous protocol in place. Testing is a key component to mitigate risk for the health and safety of all,” she said.
“In the event that an athlete tests positive, that athlete will be taken out of the competition.” Top-ranked golfer Jon Rahm of Spain led a PGA event by six strokes after three rounds in June but was forced to withdraw after testing positive. He also missed the Olympics after a positive Covid-19 test in July.
One could only imagine the uproar if top-ranked Novak Djokovic were forced to withdraw with a positive Covid-19 test, dooming doom his calendar-year Grand Slam bid.
“I hope that as an association we make the best decision for our business, for our health, for the tournaments, for public,” Azarenka said.
“We need to start this conversation because it’s just inevitable.”
Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray of Britain said talks are ongoing.
“Players that have been vaccinated are going to be having very different conditions to players who are not. It’s going to become an issue over the coming months,” Murray said.
“There’s going to have to be a lot of pretty long, hard conversations with the tour and all the players involved to try and come to a solution.”
In New York, vaccinations are needed for gyms and restaurants.
“I’m enjoying kind of a fairly normal life, whereas for the players that haven’t (been vaccinated), it’s different. I’m sure they’ll be frustrated,” Murray said.
“Ultimately I guess the reason why all of us are getting vaccinated is to look out for the wider public. We have a responsibility as players that are traveling across the world to look out for everyone else as well.
“I’m happy that I’m vaccinated. I’m hoping more players choose to have it in the coming months.”
ANOTHER TOP-20 SCALP SHOWS AUSSIE BELONGS AT TOP
Australian Alexei Popyrin has upset 15th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov to progress through to the third round of the US Open.
Popyrin was hit with two rain delays but did enough to take the first two sets 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) before Dimitrov fell behind 4-0 in the third and later quit with a foot injury.
The win now sees Popyrin face 24th seed Dan Evans on Saturday.
It was Popyrin’s fourth win over a player in the world’s top 20 — with three coming this year — as the 22-year-old’s rapid rise continues.
“It was a high-level match. He’s a really tough opponent to play but we came out with the right tactics and implemented them really well,” Popyrin said of the match.
“He countered them quite well as well so I had to figure out a way in the first set how to get back from a break down and I’m just happy I was able to maintain that level over the course of the first two sets and then unfortunately he had to retire.”
Meanwhile, for former world No. 3 Dimitrov, it was the latest in a long list of injury setbacks having suffered a back spasm in the Australian Open and back injury in the French Open.
Watch Live Coverage of the 2021 US Open from Round 1 to the Finals with ESPN on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >
Grigor Dimitrov in slams this year
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) September 1, 2021
- Back spasm in Australian Open QF loss to Karatsev
- Retired in French Open R1 with a back injury vs Giron after holding triple MP
- Wimbledon R2 loss to Bublik
- Retired from US Open R2 vs Popyrin with a foot injury.
Tough, tough year.
OSAKA, HALEP ADVANCE AT RAIN-HIT US OPEN
Earlier, defending champion Naomi Osaka advanced to the third round of the US Open by walkover as rain showers interrupted play on the New York hardcourts.
The 23-year-old Japanese third seed, seeking her fifth Grand Slam title and third US Open crown in four years, moved on when Serbian qualifier Olga Danilovic withdrew due to illness.
“I have been feeling unwell these past few days dealing with a non-Covid related viral illness,” 20-year-old left-hander Danilovic posted on social media.
Osaka, who next faces either Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi or Canadian Leylah Fernandez, is trying to become the first back-to-back US Open winner since Serena Williams, absent with a torn hamstring, captured her third in a row in 2014.
Osaka’s Grand Slam win streak remains at 16 matches, the walkover not counting toward the run just as her withdrawing from the French Open after the first round did not halt it.
The remnants of Hurricane Ida, which slammed into the US Gulf Coast at the weekend, drenched the grounds to interrupt outside court matches.
But the show went on at the Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadium courts, which are both protected by retractable roofs.
Romanian 12th seed Simona Halep, the 2018 French Open and 2019 Wimbledon champion, replaced Osaka on Ashe and dispatched Slovakian Kristina Kucova 6-3, 6-1.
“I was a little bit lucky to play here with the roof,” Halep said.
Despite a bandaged right thigh and a year of nagging injuries, Halep advanced on a service winner after 68 minutes for her deepest US Open run since 2016.
“I feel better. I’m more confident,” Halep said.
“Before the tournament, I was a little worried with injuries.”
Spanish ninth seed Garbine Muguruza, a two-time Grand Slam champion, defeated Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-2. It was her first win in four tries against the German.
“It was difficult because we are great friends,” Muguruza said.
“I took my time and played well. That made a difference.”
Advancing between raindrops was Tunisian 20th seed Ons Jabeur, who beat Colombian Maria Camila Osorio 6-0, 6-1.
Russian second seed Daniil Medvedev, this year’s Australian Open runner-up, was to meet Germany’s Dominik Koepfer later on Ashe.
Medvedev, a winner last month in Toronto, won his only prior match against the left-hander on his way to the 2019 US Open final, which he lost to Rafael Nadal.
TSITSIPAS HITS BACK AT BATHROOM BREAK FURORE
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Greek third seed whose extended bathroom breaks have become the subject of ridicule at the Open, has the last Ashe night match against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, who is 0-17 in Grand Slams against top-10 opponents.
Tsitsipas was derided by three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray and Olympic champion Alexander Zverev for taking long toilet breaks and other pauses to disrupt opponents.
Murray says he “lost respect” for the French Open runner-up and Zverev joked the Greek star travels to the moon to use the bathroom.
Tsitsipas, who would match his best US Open run by reaching the third round, says he’s only using rules available to all ATP Tour players.
“I’m playing by the rules and sticking to what the ATP says is fair,” Tsitsipas said.
Other indoor women’s matches include 2020 US Open runner-up and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini and the Ashe night feature between Americans Coco Gauff and Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open winner.
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