How the U.S. open plans to Isolate players from COVID-19

The USTA formally revealed that the U.S. open will be played in 2020, together with the Western & southern Open, which will be moved from its longtime house in Cincinnati to the Billie Jean King national Tennis center in new York. as well as in announcing the events’ return, which will happen without spectators, the governing body went into detail on exactly how it plans to isolate players as well as test them during the event.

“The 2020 U.S. open will be played,” stated Katrina Adams, past president of the USTA. “In this hard as well as trying year, it’s not just great news—it’s exceptional news.”

The Western & southern open will be staged August 19–28. The U.S. open will continue as organized August 31–September 13. As a result of the rescheduling of the Cincinnati event, the Winston-Salem open in North Carolina will not be played this year. While a number of prominent players have revealed they are not sure if they will play in the U.S. Open, the USTA revealed that Serena Williams has dedicated to the event.

USTA CEO as well as executive director Mike Dowse stated the national governing body utilized three principles in choosing to step ahead with the tournaments: might the events be held safely; would they be in the very best rate of interest of tennis; as well as did it make monetary sense for players as well as the USTA. In each instance, he said, the USTA was satisfied it might proceed.

Dowse noted, however, the USTA will lose 80 percent of its web operating earnings this year as a result of the coronavirus as well as the decision to not enable spectators at the U.S. Open—a number that in recent years has topped 700,000 guests over the two weeks of the tournament. Still, the USTA means to offer $60 million in prize winnings to athletes that compete, which amounts to 90 percent of last year’s prizes. Dowse stated the USTA can keep that ratio almost intact in part since of reserves the NGB has developed up in the past. “It’s not a design that can continue,” he said.

As to exactly how the governing body means to safe the security of the players as well as personnel during the two events in new York, here’s a look at a few of the specifics:

Players will be isolated in two hotels, one of which will be the 512-room TWA hotel at JFK worldwide flight terminal in new York. Upon arrival, players will be checked for the coronavirus. After that, players will be checked at least when weekly. The USTA will pay for one space for the players, as well as players can pay for a second space for traveling guests, although they will be restricted to three guests. all of those people will be thought about within the athlete’s own bubble as well as will be restricted in where they can travel during the program of the event. “We’ve truly created this competition around a bubble,” stated Dr. Camiseta Atalanta BC Brian Hainline, a USTA board member as well as Camiseta Wolverhampton Wanderers member of the USTA’s medical advisory board.

Players will likewise have the choice to stay in a personal home, which the USTA will assist determine with regional genuine estate agents. In those cases, however, players will be checked each time they return to the tournament’s grounds. “There’s a leap of belief here,” stated Stacey Allaster, who was just recently named competition director for the U.S. Open. “But it’s not a tough one to make since they don’t want to get COVID. The athletes have the option: go to the hotel or elect a personal home. If they select a personal home, they won’t get back into our U.S. open world up until they’ve been checked as well as up until the physicians state they’re clear.”

Acknowledging that it might be tough to track players’ outside activities during the tournament, Hainline stated the players understand it’s in their finest rate of interest to limit their movements. “There is a possibility a player makes a option as well as puts himself or herself at risk,” he said. “Every time that occurs the testing paradigm changes.” in that scenario, players would be checked each of the very first two days complying with their get in touch with off grounds, then on day five as well as seven, as well as then at least when weekly.

If a player tests positive during the tournament, he or she will be checked again. If a second test comes back positive, the player would be isolated as well as supplied medical care either in their living plan (hotel or house), or at a medical facility or healthcare facility if required. must several players test positive, Hainline stated there is no absolute number of positives that would force the USTA to shut down one of the events. Those decisions instead would be made on designs to figure out whether it’s risk-free to continue.

To limit staff, only Arthur Ashe stadium as well as Louis Armstrong stadium will have a full Camiseta Barcelona complement of line judges as well as sphere people. For outer courts, line disputes will be handled completely by Hawkeye technology, a very first fonull