Covid-19 vaccinations a hot topic on tennis tour leading into the US Open

A number of Australian players have been forced out of events by Covid-19 over the past couple of months but examples of vaccine-hesitancy remain on tour.

US Open contender Stefanos Tsitsipas drew a rebuke from the Greek Government after recently airing contentious vaccination views in Cincinnati.

It does not surprise given her professionalism, but Ash Barty was ahead of the game when she arrived in Charleston in April at the start of the clay court season.

The Wimbledon champion has left nothing to chance during the pandemic.

Barty, who will open her US Open campaign against former world No 2 Vera Zvonareva, opted against travelling last year given the uncertainty and potential health risks to her and her team.

When it became clear a vaccine was available, the top seed for the US Open beginning on Monday pounced, determined to return to the tour as safely as possible.

Barty was determined not to jump the queue in Australia, but with the ATP and WTA Tours proactive in securing a variety of vaccines at events in the US, the No 1 was straight into line in South Carolina.

It is an anecdote worth revisiting ahead of the US Open, but also with a view towards the Australian Open.

Organisers are confident it will progress as scheduled in Melbourne in January, but with stipulations, and the preparatory events are likely to look different once again next summer.

While there have been crowds of different sizes at every grand slam this year, the US Open will be by far the closest to the pre-pandemic norm when it begins on Monday.

Over the past two months, several incidents have highlighted how surprising it is that players have opted to delay the vaccination process, with holdouts notably including Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The world No 3 caused a stir in Cincinnati when stating the reasons for his hesitancy, which prompted a stern rebuke from the Greek Government, among other critics.

The Tsitsipas viewpoint — that he is young and fit and less likely to become seriously ill — excludes the potential of him spreading the disease and harming others.

It is possible to contract the virus and also pass it on if vaccinated, but it is clear the prospect of that happening falls sharply when precautionary steps have been taken.

The 23-year-old need look only at peers including Alex de Minaur, who he edged in the ATP Next Gen Finals in 2018, to see the perils of not being fully vaccinated.

The top-ranked Australian, who plays American Taylor Fritz in his first round, is believed to have been partially vaccinated when he contracted Covid-19 after Wimbledon.

To de Minaur’s great despair, it ruled him out of the Tokyo Olympics, knocked him around physically, prevented him from training and hindered his form through the US summer.

There are also the expensive examples of Jason Kubler, Alex Bolt and Aleks Vukic recently.

The three Australians were training in Florida when they contracted Covid-19 last week, which forced them from US Open qualifying this week.

Those who qualify for the main draw earn more than $100,000 for a first round appearance, with the prospect of greater gains, and all three had reason to be optimistic.

England’s top-ranked woman Johanna Konta missed Wimbledon due to Covid-19.

Sofia Kenin, the top-ranked American and 2020 Australian Open champion, will be absent from Flushing Meadows next week, with a positive test flushing her hopes away.

Tsitsipas is a genuine grand slam contender in a field headed by Novak Djokovic, who begins his quest to complete the Grand Slam against a qualifier but is also vaccine hesitant.

The Greek is playing Russian roulette with his health and hopes.

A grand slam dream and potentially millions of dollars are at stake, and that is viewing the decision purely through a selfish prism, let alone the broader social perspectives.

There is also the growing likelihood that vaccinations will be required across several spectra of society in the near future to negotiate.

Australian Open organisers, which are pursuing a biosecurity bubble in order to allow next year’s event to be played, are considering a vaccine mandate for Melbourne Park.

This could require fans, players and staff to be vaccinated, or to prove they are Covid-19 free, in order to be able to attend, participate and work at the grand slam in January.

“In terms of vaccinations, we are hoping that Australia as a nation will be at the target of 80 per cent plus by the time we get to November,” Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley said.

Nick Kyrgios has endured a testing return to the circuit and has drawn former Wimbledon semi-finalist Roberto Bautista Agut in his opening round.

John Millman has been battling injury concerns, which has forced his withdrawal from recent lead-in events, but is drawn to play a qualifier.

Alexei Popyrin has performed well in New York in the past and faces Radu Albot in his opener, while James Duckworth, who has returned to the top 70, plays Pedro Martinez.

Max Purcell, who plays talented Jannick Sinner, and Jordan Thompson, who faces Gianluca Mager, in Australian-Italian battles.

2011 US Open champion Sam Stosur, who claimed the doubles in Cincinnati last week, faces Estonian Anett Kontaveit.

Ajla Tomljanovic, who reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, plays American wildcard Katie Volynets, Storm Sanders will play Misaki Doi, while Astra Sharma is into the final round of qualifying.