Michael Stich would not dare to start again until 2021
According to the former Wimbledon winner Michael Stich , international professional tennis should no longer be played this year.
by SID
last edit: Jul 28, 2020, 04:10 pm
"I think it would be better to tick off the year, focus on next year and take action now to create an optimal environment for the players next year," said the 1992 double Olympic champion at the Olympia -Podcast of the ARD sports show.
The international professional tours have been interrupted since March due to the corona virus pandemic. The women plan to restart on August 3rd with the tournament in Palermo. The first tournament on the ATP men's tour calendar is the Masters actually taking place in Cincinnati (August 22-28), which was moved to New York. From August 31 to September 13, the US Open will also be played there without spectators.
Stich would not fly to New York
For Stich, participating in the major tournament in Flushing Meadows is currently out of the question. "I would be worried about my health," said the 51-year-old, and he also had little to gain from a "ghost grand slam" from a sporting perspective. "I think that the value of a victory at the US Open is very questionable under these conditions," said Stich: "If the Europeans don't come and the Australians don't fly there, you have to ask yourself: is it worth it?"
Stich also criticized the planned hosting of the French Open in Paris (September 27 to October 11). "Playing the French Open at such a time of the year makes no sense," he said: "Doing it just because you want to do it doesn't mean you do it well."