Patrick Mouratoglou wants the US Open to be held
Star coach Patrick Mouratoglou advocates hosting the US Open - given the financially troubled US tennis association USTA, he also sees no alternative.
by SID
last edit: Jun 15, 2020, 12:39 pm
"I'm afraid that if the US Open doesn't take place, it would be catastrophic," the superstar Serena Williams coach told AFP. From a financial point of view, it is "essential" for USTA that the major be carried out. "From this point of view, I want the tournament to be held," said Mouratoglou.
The world of tennis is very divided in the discussion about the US Open. Especially the world number one Novak Djokovic had criticized possible strict hygiene and protective measures and left a question mark behind a start in New York. A final decision to host or cancel the Grand Slam tournament, which runs from August 31 to September 13, is scheduled for Monday. The organizing USTA had already responded to the corona crisis with drastic austerity measures and cut 110 jobs.
Tennis must accept changes
Mouratoglou therefore called for unity among the professionals. "In times like these, when there is a severe economic crisis that is affecting tennis very, very badly, we may have to accept a number of changes," said the Frenchman.
Meanwhile, concerns about a setback in the fight against the corona virus are growing in New York. As many New Yorkers stood in large groups in front of bars and celebrated on the street in large groups despite the applicable corona restrictions at the weekend, Governor Andrew Cuomo threatened to return to stricter conditions. His office received 25,000 complaints about restrictions, Cuomo said. "Enforce the law or the state will act," he wrote on Twitter.
New York had been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, and the metropolis is now in phase one of a four-stage easing plan.