The tennis world is waiting for signs from Australia
2020 is ticked off, but what's next in international tennis? The Australian Open, the first highlight in spring, are still not scheduled.
by SID
last edit: Nov 23, 2020, 02:13 pm
When the last ball of the cranky 2020 season landed in the net, Dominic Thiem began to dream. The Austrian star player put himself in a tennis world with spectators in the arenas, with great emotions. Maybe even without masks.
"I do believe that an end is in sight at some point," said Thiem after losing the final of the ATP Finals in London in three sets to Daniil Medvedev : "I certainly don't want to play for the next eight years without a spectator." But at least the beginning and probably also large parts of the coming season will continue to take place in the grip of the corona pandemic. This already shows the tough struggle for the Australian Open.
Rafael Nadal pleads for patience
The start of the season has still not been set, the local authorities are hesitant, the professionals are in the air while planning. It's persistently complicated in the guild, which is much more travel-intensive than other sports. Between 1000 and 1500 people have to be separated in a bubble in order to realize the first highlight of the year, actually planned for January 18th. "We just have to be patient and accept the situation. It's difficult for anyone," said Rafael Nadal . Not everyone is as patient as the Spanish superstar.
The man on whom tennis professionals like Nadal, Thiem or Germany's number one Alexander Zverev now depend is Daniel Andrews, Prime Minister of the State of Victoria. Ultimately, he has to give the green light so that Melbourne can be played. He was "confident that we will make it," said Andrews on Monday according to the Sydney Morning Herald. But it is also important to "sit down and solve many, many complex problems". Victoria is the most severely affected state in the strict Australia, which has so far got through the pandemic comparatively very well.
A later date is not so attractive for the broadcasting TV station
The last status that Zverev and Co. found out before they started their vacation was that they were not allowed to enter before January 1st. Then a 14-day quarantine should follow, which would make preparatory tournaments down under virtually impossible. Neither the professionals nor the Association Tennis Australia (TA) like that, so it is currently considered likely that the Australian Open will be postponed.
By a week or maybe two, local media reports. A later point in time is no longer so attractive for the Australian TV station "Nine" - and it has paid $ 300 million for five years.
A decision on the tournament is imminent, reports the Sydney Morning Herald, which tournament director Craig Tiley had already announced on Sunday. You are working "closely with the authorities on a plan that includes all the needs of the players, the fans, our partners and employees."
The 2021 edition of the Australian Open is unlikely to be a tennis festival as is otherwise known from the "Happy Slam". The reality currently looks much grayer than not only Thiem imagines.