Rafael Nadal "very pessimistic" about restarting tennis
Rafael Nadal has little hope of restarting the ATP tour. "I am very pessimistic that we can resume normal activities," said the world number two in a chat with the Spanish tennis association RFET.
by SID / red
last edit: Apr 27, 2020, 04:13 pm
"In tennis you have to travel every week, live in hotels, have to go to different countries," says Nadal: "Even if we play without spectators, so many people are needed to organize an event. You shouldn't ignore that." A few days ago, in an interview with the radio station COPE, he said that until there was a cure, it would be "very difficult" to start the tour again.
"Lots of irreparable losses"
The Spaniard hopes that the restrictions can gradually be relaxed. But the situation is very serious. "We've had a tough month and a half, with a lot of irreparable losses. A lot of people will lose their jobs." Nadal's home country is one of those countries particularly affected by the consequences of COVID-19. His long-time trainer, Uncle Toni, recently spoke of an "outrageous and unimaginable" situation.
Nadal is working with Spanish basketball player Pau Gasol, two-time NBA champion, on an aid fund to fight the corona virus. With his opponents Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, he allegedly collects money for players who are lower in the world rankings and who are particularly affected by the consequences of the corona pandemic. An idea that last brought little joy to Dominic Thiem. In an interview with the Krone, the third in the world rankings said that he could not understand why he should give money to people who do not subordinate everything to sport.
Dustin Brown criticizes statements by Dominic Thiem
A statement that caused criticism in many places. So also from Dustin Brown, who reacted to the Austrian's statement on Twitter. "When I started in 2004, I lived in a motorhome and survived from week to week with the money I earned. That's why I strung other players' clubs for € 5 each. If that had happened then I would have cost my career! "Brown wrote on the microblogging service.
The tour is currently officially interrupted until July 13th - for the players in the lower positions in the world rankings, this means a 100% loss of income, as Johanna Konta emphasized in an interview. And that a resumption of the tour in July is anything but set in stone, the assessments of the world ranking second, Rafael Nadal.