Dimitrov, Djokovic, Thiem and the consequences
After the positive COVID-19 test by Grigor Dimitrov there is a big question mark behind some events of the coming week.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jun 22, 2020, 07:44 am
Yes, it was magically beautiful pictures that were sent out from Belgrade to the world last week: cheering people in the stands; Ball children handing towels to the players; Colleagues who lay in their arms after sweaty work. It had something of the normality that the author of these lines also fell for. Perhaps it was really so: The restrictive measures taken by the Serbian government right after the outbreak of the corona pandemic meant that the virus was at least in Serbia tamed. A full center court, let's not kid ourselves, radiates so much more sex appeal than the spectator-free seats in the Corona-compliant series in the Südstadt or at the TC Großhesselohe. So that will be fine.
And from a legal point of view, Novak Djokovic , the person who gave the idea and, with his brother, also the organizer of the Adria Tour, was not to blame. If the Serbian authorities had had an objection to the event marathon including football match and Kids' Day, the days in Belgrade and, until last night, in Zadar (Croatia) would certainly have been different. It was there, however, that Grigor Dimitrov quickly got out of there on Saturday, only to signal a day later from Monte Carlo: Sorry, people, I was hit.
Cancellation of the final in Zadar
For Dimitrov this is personally unfortunate. It is hoped that he will survive the infection unscathed. With his positive test, the Bulgarian ATP world champion from 2017 raised a whole chain of questions. The first was answered on Sunday evening in Zadar: with the cancellation of the final game by Novak Djokovic against Andrey Rublev. Instead, players should take a COVID-19 test at the hotel.
And now? Dominic Thiem flew back to Austria after his success in Belgrade, was tested there according to media reports as well as a few days later when he arrived at the academy of Patrick Mouratoglou near Nice. On Saturday and Sunday, Thiem played his first two matches at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown, initially losing to Richard Gasquet 1-3, then defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-1 on Sunday evening.
Many obligations for Thiem
Thiem has big plans for the coming week: The obligations at UTS are actually weekly, but there are also "Thiem's 7" from July 7th to 11th in Kitzbühel and the exhibition fight tournament in Berlin from 13th to 19th . Julian. There is also Alexander Zverev on the list of participants - the German number one has left out none of the Adriatic highlights.
Dimitrov in turn, but also Andrey Rublev and Borna Coric are due to open in Kitzbühel in early July. This requires, almost exactly two weeks before the start of the event, in the case of the positive test, however, plenty of imagination. Just as much imagination as for a continuation of the Adria tour by Novak Djokovic - even if all tests in Zadar should be negative. From Montenegro, Djokovic was given a stop sign in front of his nose a few days ago.