Speculation on the Men's Calendar for the Next Foreseeable Future

[Moxie]

While everything is speculation at this point, I thought I might give it a thread, and add a poll, because we need some "fun," in the absence of actual tennis. Plus a place to post updates, implications of losing certain tournaments, and how some things might be rescheduled. It seems unlikely that Indian Wells will be the only tournament to cancel in the next while.

 

[Moxie]

Starting with Miami, I've have seen that Broward Country (the neighboring county to Miami-Dade) has posted a state of emergency, but Miami is still "clear." I imagine most top players are laying low right now and waiting to see what will happen. It seems that many of them were already in CA...qualies had started. Have they already decamped to FL?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

France has imposed a ban on any gathering for any purpose that involves 1000 or more people. Assuming this ban is not lifted in time for RG, the only options that RG organizers will have is to either play without fans or cancel it. Postponement is not going to work out for any tournament whether it is IW or Rome or RG. This is because the calendar is tightly packed and there is no room to postpone any tournament. However, location swaps are possible when things are terrible in the original location, some other location in a better situation might volunteer to take over. I expect such a location swap to occur for the Rome tourney.

p.s. But, the grand slams will be too possessive and would not let some other location take over their GS even for just one year.

 

[Moxie]

France has imposed a ban on any gathering for any purpose that involves 1000 or more people. Assuming this ban is not lifted in time for RG, the only options that RG organizers will have is to either play without fans or cancel it. Postponement is not going to work out for any tournament whether it is IW or Rome or RG. This is because the calendar is tightly packed and there is no room to postpone any tournament. However, location swaps are possible when things are terrible in the original location, some other location in a better situation might volunteer to take over. I expect such a location swap to occur for the Rome tourney.

p.s. But, the grand slams will be too possessive and would not let some other location take over their GS even for just one year.

On top of everything else, this is Olympic year, in terms of tight calendar. Tented posted an article saying Japan is considering putting it off to the end of the year. Not sure what Japan is like in Winter for a "Summer Games." But anyway...I did say to @Front242 that I wasn't thinking of the prospective cancellations in a partisan way, and I wasn't. However, I'm willing to give it a think now, with an eye to that.

Besides Miami, the clay season is next up to be rather decimated. I had an idea that maybe some of the clay events could be shoved into Spain, Portugal and Morocco, but Spain isn't looking great. Maybe So. America? But I agree that the Majors won't be played anywhere else, and I'm not sure who could host them, anyway. (Though Larry Ellison would love to host the US Open at IW, if things changed by August.) I'll still hold out hope that maybe a few 250s, one MS tune-up and RG can be salvaged for the clay season, but I think that is best case. As a Rafa fan, I will admit that it would be a drag to lose the clay season, but it's very possible. However, I'm more optimistic than Front, and I do hope things could be more or less back to normal for the grass season.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

There is a speculation that the virus will not be able to survive the hot weather. Of course, nobody knows whether that is true as it is a new virus. Assuming this speculation holds, I think both RG and Wimby will be saved. After all we have more than two months time from now to RG. The only thing affected will be some lead up tourney to RG.

 

[Moxie]

There is a speculation that the virus will not be able to survive the hot weather. Of course, nobody knows whether that is true as it is a new virus. Assuming this speculation holds, I think both RG and Wimby will be saved. After all we have more than two months time from now to RG. The only thing affected will be some lead up tourney to RG.

Yes, but on the other hand that is just speculation. There is no way of knowing yet if it's a "winter virus." But fingers crossed. However, we'll need to start to see a slowing of new cases and deaths soon, for authorities to feel that we've hit the crest and are on the downside.

 

[Front242]

I was going to mention the weather speculation also but, since it's already been mentioned, I'm not so sure they're right on that. Spain has quite a lot of confirmed cases already and it's 25c/77f in Madrid today which isn't exactly cold.

 

[herios]

Starting with Miami, I've have seen that Broward Country (the neighboring county to Miami-Dade) has posted a state of emergency, but Miami is still "clear." I imagine most top players are laying low right now and waiting to see what will happen. It seems that many of them were already in CA...qualies had started. Have they already decamped to FL?

Before speculating any further, let's see what happens in the nearest future.
Miami is still on as far as the news are concerned.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Yes, but on the other hand that is just speculation. There is no way of knowing yet if it's a "winter virus." But fingers crossed. However, we'll need to start to see a slowing of new cases and deaths soon, for authorities to feel that we've hit the crest and are on the downside.

China claims that there worst is over and things are getting better. WHO seems to agree too.

 

[Front242]

China claims that there worst is over and things are getting better. WHO seems to agree too.

Probably/hopefully true but would be nice to see the actual true stats for China. Another 196 people died in Italy since yesterday and 1028 serious/critical up from 877 yesterday. Really bad there.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Probably/hopefully true but would be nice to see the actual true stats for China. Another 196 people died in Italy since yesterday and 1028 serious/critical up from 877 yesterday. Really bad there.

No way the Italian open is going to occur this year...God Bless those folks

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Now, there is a rumor that Olympics may be postponed by one full year. They don't want to conduct summer Olympics in a different season. They have invested so much money in building infrastructure that they don't want to give up Olympics to some other country. So, I think it is probably a reasonable choice.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Golden State Warriors will be playing without fans as San Francisco announced a ban on gatherings exceeding 1000. Perhaps, they should indulge in price gouging and sell 1000 tickets for $10,000 each.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Rumors that Miami Open will also be cancelled,Novak said the tournament should be cancelled a little while ago on Twitter.

 

[AnonymousFan]

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Yep,also the WTA are also in discussions suspending its tour events for six weeks.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

That is two weeks of IW, two weeks of M and two weeks of Itsy-Bitsy tourneys.

So, the circuit will restart on red dirt in Monte-Carlo (if things are ok by then).

 

[Front242]

Good interview Jon Snow (Channel 4 news presenter) and Giacomo Grasselli - a senior Italian government health official who is coordinating the network of intensive care units in Lombardy. Grasselli makes a very good point that it's not only that older people are dying from this but that it comes down to biological age more than chronological. Some 40 year olds are in poor shape and worse than 80 year olds, for example. Therefore, the healthy 80 year old might have a better chance of fighting the virus off.

 

[Moxie]

Rumors that Miami Open will also be cancelled,Novak said the tournament should be cancelled a little while ago on Twitter.

I read that Nadal returned to Spain when IW was cancelled and is debating whether or not to return for it, even if it is played. (Note to remember: Miami is supposed to be Murray's return to competition.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I read that Nadal returned to Spain when IW was cancelled and is debating whether or not to return for it, even if it is played. (Note to remember: Miami is supposed to be Murray's return to competition.

If both the ATP and WTA are in discussions with the view of suspending both tours for six weeks,I don't think Miami tournament will go ahead.Rafa should stay where he is and keep well.