Novak Djokovic unsure about US Open starts - and angry about "witch hunt"
In an interview with the Serbian newspaper Telegraf, world number one Novak Djokovic described his appearance at the US Open as by no means certain. And complained about the media coverage of his Adriatic tour.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jul 08, 2020, 05:14 pm
The signs that in the end none of the Big Three will participate in the US Open 2020 seem to be condensing: Roger Federer's resignation has been fixed for weeks, on Tuesday Rafael Nadal with the confirmation of his participation in the ATP Masters 1000- The tournament in Madrid provided strong evidence that he was spared the trip to the USA, which was badly affected by the corona pandemic.
The Spaniard's definitive tournament planning coincides with that of Novak Djokovic: Because the industry leader sees himself very clearly in Madrid, Rome and at the French Open. An appearance in New York City, on the other hand, is still in the stars, says Djokovic analogously to the Serbian telegraph. The world number one was one of the first to criticize the planned accommodation of the players in a single hotel and the limited possibilities to bring a larger coaching staff. These framework conditions have been relaxed in the latest USTA proposal - the last major of the year, which is actually traditionally the last major of the year, will not be held almost normally.
Especially not after the latest announcement by the governor of New York State, Andrew Cuomo, that travelers to his state would have to go into a two-week self-quarantine. This affects several states in the USA as well as all international travelers.
Djokovic could score in New York
In contrast to Nadal, Djokovic even had something to win in New York City - in addition to the princely prize money: The Serbian eliminated Stan Wawrinka in the round of 16 in 2019, so he could increase his points account. Nadal, however, will definitely be allowed to continue his 2,000 points in the rankings. At Djokovic only 180 US Open Points are currently included in the rating.
Looking back on the Adriatic tour, in which several players tested positive for the SARS-Cov-2 virus, including Novak and his wife Jelena himself, organizer Djokovic is exposed to a media "witch hunt". So he would not get rid of the impression that a scapegoat was sought that could be held responsible for everything, Djokovic told the telegraph. One of the big ones must be brought down.