[ad_1]
Australian Ashley Barty, ranked first in the world, decided not to defend the French Open tennis championship, scheduled for its new date between September 21 and October 11, due to fears of contagion with the Corona virus, which it also prompted her to withdraw from the Flushing Meadows Championship.
The Australian, who last year won her first Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros, said the decision she made not to participate in the 2020 edition was “difficult”, but the health of her family and team is the most important thing.
“The French Open last year was the most beautiful tournament of my career and therefore I did not make this decision (not to participate) lightly. There are two reasons behind my decision: the first is the risks to the health that still exist with the presence of Covid, “Barty said on his social media pages. They are my preparations, which were not perfect in light of my coach’s inability to be with me due to the closure of state lines in Australia. “
Barty resides in Brisbane, while his coach Greg Taiser is based in Melbourne and cannot travel because the city is trying to cope with a second wave of Covid-19 infections.
In July, Barty decided to withdraw from the Flushing Meadows Championship, which is currently being held in New York, behind closed doors, similar to Romanian Simona Halep II or Spanish men’s champion Rafael Nadal, who preferred not to participate due to the same concerns.
During that period, the Australian was monitoring the situation regarding the French championship, which is traditionally the second of the Grand Slam championships, but became the third this season after the Wimbledon championship was postponed and canceled.
In the end, however, he decided to retire on the latest developments: “A challenging year for everyone”, adding: “I wish the players and the French Tennis Federation all the best for the success of the tournament. Now I look forward to a long preseason. and a runner-up in Australia. “
Even the fate of the Australian Championship, which usually takes place in Bartie’s hometown of Melbourne, is unresolved in light of the possibility of transferring him to another city if the rate of “Covid-19” infections remains. high.
Serena didn’t make up her mind
Unlike the Flushing Meadows Championship, which is currently held behind closed doors, the public will be present in the Roland Garros stadiums, but with a limited number that has been reduced from 20,000 to 11,500 per day, imposing house arrest on all players in two hotels.
But American legend Serena Williams revealed that she prefers to live in a private residence while in Paris, similar to what she now has in Flushing Meadows.
The 38-year-old, who won 23 titles in the “Grand Slam”, revealed that she will speak with the organizers of the French championship about it, especially because she suffers from chronic lung problems, before making her decision to participate or not.
“Honestly, I deal with the situation every day,” Serena said Monday after qualifying for the Flushing Meadows quarterfinals. “I will make the best decision for my health,” adding: “The thing is, I still have some questions. My focus is on New York (Flushing Meadows), but it is difficult.” Because these two great tournaments are very close to each other this year. “
On Monday, the general director of the French Federation, Jean-Francois Villot, revealed that the sports complex that hosts the Roland Garros tournament will be divided into “three sites independent from each other and not connected to each other in terms of public reception”, in order to respect the scale of the number set by the local authorities at 5,000. One person is authorized to access each site.
Tournament Director Guy Forge said that all players will undergo a crown test “upon arrival and will get a participation permit as soon as the first negative test result is issued,” adding: “They (players and players) will undergo a second exam within the range of 72 hours, another third after 5 days and a quarter after the period. The same as long as they continue to participate in the tournament. “
[ad_2]
