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

[MargaretMcAleer]

ATP Announces Revised 2020 Calendar

www.tennisnow.com/News/2020/August/ATP-Announces-Revised-2020-Calendar

 

[Moxie]

Kitzbuhel will be played the 2nd week of the USOpen:

Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Matteo Berrettini Headline Stellar Kitzbühel Entry List | ATP Tour | Tennis

Defending champion Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini headline a stellar entry list for the 2020 Generali Open, which is scheduled to take place in Kitzbühel between 8-13 September.

www.atptour.com

The rules say that any player who loses in the first week of the US Open will be eligible to play in Kitzbuhel. Obviously, that means no quarantine. That seems a bit of a tricky turnaround, coming from NYC. I hope the Austrian tournament is planning to observe strict protocols, like the USO, then.

 

[britbox]

Kitzbuhel will be played the 2nd week of the USOpen:

Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Matteo Berrettini Headline Stellar Kitzbühel Entry List | ATP Tour | Tennis

Defending champion Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini headline a stellar entry list for the 2020 Generali Open, which is scheduled to take place in Kitzbühel between 8-13 September.

www.atptour.com

The rules say that any player who loses in the first week of the US Open will be eligible to play in Kitzbuhel. Obviously, that means no quarantine. That seems a bit of a tricky turnaround, coming from NYC. I hope the Austrian tournament is planning to observe strict protocols, like the USO, then.

Austria is pretty strict, so I'd imagine so.

 

[Moxie]

Austria is pretty strict, so I'd imagine so.

And yet, they're going to take players straight from NYC, no quarantine. There's going to need to be a lot of rapid-testing.

 

[britbox]

And yet, they're going to take players straight from NYC, no quarantine. There's going to need to be a lot of rapid-testing.

It'll be interesting to see how the tournaments react to positive tests. Until the world gets on the boat heading to "We have to live with the virus" land, then I suspect things will keep getting opened up and closed down every five minutes.

 

[Moxie]

It'll be interesting to see how the tournaments react to positive tests. Until the world gets on the boat heading to "We have to live with the virus" land, then I suspect things will keep getting opened up and closed down every five minutes.

Working within the pandemic takes a great deal of discipline and personal responsibility, as I see it. As you say, everyone has to be on board with it. In all industries and sports, we are all only as strong as our weakest link. Here, universities are shutting down as fast as they open, without, it seems, a reasonable plan, and most importantly, testing. If tennis is going to make this work, for the time being, everyone is going to have to accept and observe the protocols, be hyper-vigilant, because of all the travel, and submit to constant testing. I don't see another way.

 

[britbox]

Working within the pandemic takes a great deal of discipline and personal responsibility, as I see it. As you say, everyone has to be on board with it. In all industries and sports, we are all only as strong as our weakest link. Here, universities are shutting down as fast as they open, without, it seems, a reasonable plan, and most importantly, testing. If tennis is going to make this work, for the time being, everyone is going to have to accept and observe the protocols, be hyper-vigilant, because of all the travel, and submit to constant testing. I don't see another way.

I honestly don't think that works in practice. For instance, a University might be able to control its own processes but it can't control what students do outside of University. Are we realistically expecting young people not to have close contact with one another for years? That is something you will never be able to control.

The aims of governments and "experts" at the outset were supposed to flatten the curve. Eradicating the virus at this point is not feasible. New Zealand got close but here we are again with a bunch of new cases. I'm not sure how many lockdowns people will need to go through before they realize it's a totally unsustainable solution.

Now the real question I had was what happens when positive tests come back? Cancel the tournament? I think that's what will happen, but I think the better option is to play through.

 

[Moxie]

I honestly don't think that works in practice. For instance, a University might be able to control its own processes but it can't control what students do outside of University. Are we realistically expecting young people not to have close contact with one another for years? That is something you will never be able to control.

The aims of governments and "experts" at the outset were supposed to flatten the curve. Eradicating the virus at this point is not feasible. New Zealand got close but here we are again with a bunch of new cases. I'm not sure how many lockdowns people will need to go through before they realize it's a totally unsustainable solution.

Now the real question I had was what happens when positive tests come back? Cancel the tournament? I think that's what will happen, but I think the better option is to play through.

Universities are a different question to tennis tournaments, though they share some similarities: mostly really young people, who often come from far and wide. But tennis has a few things in its favor: it is a relatively small group, and it has sway over its members: in that it controls their ability to work, their points, i.e., their income. If tennis and the players adhere to strict protocols, they might, JUST MIGHT be able to keep a tour running at a reduced level.

The notion is to keep players and their teams in tightly controlled bubbles, as much as is possible. Let's use the example of "Cincy" and the USO, because that's next up, and to be played in one venue. Everyone should be tested upon arrival in NYC, and then tested every time they arrive at BJKTC. If a player or a member of their team tests positive, they will be eliminated from the tournament and forced to quarantine in place for 14 days. (NOT fly to their home country and quarantine there.) If this happens to a couple of players during the course of the tournament, I think it can carry on. But there could be a point at which there is clearly an outbreak, if there is, and then the tournament would have to shut down. I hope this doesn't happen. I hope they get through this next bit in NYC relatively COVID-free, and move on safely to Europe.

This is why I think the turn-around to Kitzbuhel is too tight. If a player loses in the first week of USO, then opts to play in Austria, they would fly directly there and play. They could be exposed in NYC, or on the plane, and still test negative upon arrival in Austria. It can take up to 6 days, as I understand it, for a person to test positive. However, if NYC protocols are strictly observed, and Austria is likewise strict, they could mitigate the possibility of spread. From the USO, if the players who make the 2nd week go directly to their next tournament city and stay locked down, it might yet work. What they can't do is fly in and out, home and back, see friends, break the bubble, go to bars, etc. There is a pretty intense calendar of play for the men and women for the next while. If they adhere to a very strict and (let's face it) monastic lifestyle for the next while, they can play tennis, make money, and keep the tour viable. But they all have to be rowing the boat in the same direction. If you get some knucklehead like Zverev in the infamous video going out to the bars with friends, it could all collapse for everyone.

 

[britbox]

Universities are a different question to tennis tournaments, though they share some similarities: mostly really young people, who often come from far and wide. But tennis has a few things in its favor: it is a relatively small group, and it has sway over its members: in that it controls their ability to work, their points, i.e., their income. If tennis and the players adhere to strict protocols, they might, JUST MIGHT be able to keep a tour running at a reduced level.

The notion is to keep players and their teams in tightly controlled bubbles, as much as is possible. Let's use the example of "Cincy" and the USO, because that's next up, and to be played in one venue. Everyone should be tested upon arrival in NYC, and then tested every time they arrive at BJKTC. If a player or a member of their team tests positive, they will be eliminated from the tournament and forced to quarantine in place for 14 days. (NOT fly to their home country and quarantine there.) If this happens to a couple of players during the course of the tournament, I think it can carry on. But there could be a point at which there is clearly an outbreak, if there is, and then the tournament would have to shut down. I hope this doesn't happen. I hope they get through this next bit in NYC relatively COVID-free, and move on safely to Europe.

This is why I think the turn-around to Kitzbuhel is too tight. If a player loses in the first week of USO, then opts to play in Austria, they would fly directly there and play. They could be exposed in NYC, or on the plane, and still test negative upon arrival in Austria. It can take up to 6 days, as I understand it, for a person to test positive. However, if NYC protocols are strictly observed, and Austria is likewise strict, they could mitigate the possibility of spread. From the USO, if the players who make the 2nd week go directly to their next tournament city and stay locked down, it might yet work. What they can't do is fly in and out, home and back, see friends, break the bubble, go to bars, etc. There is a pretty intense calendar of play for the men and women for the next while. If they adhere to a very strict and (let's face it) monastic lifestyle for the next while, they can play tennis, make money, and keep the tour viable. But they all have to be rowing the boat in the same direction. If you get some knucklehead like Zverev in the infamous video going out to the bars with friends, it could all collapse for everyone.

Yeah, they are running bubbles over here with some sports. Aussie Rules and Rugby League. The Victoria teams are now based in Queensland, but some teams have already broken the bubble. Eddie Hearn put on a tightly controlled Boxing Bubble in the UK that went OK - but it was for a one-night event.

Human behavior is pretty hard to manage! Good luck to NYC - it's going to be a big test. Hopefully, the tournament will run its course.

 

[Moxie]

Report: Guido Pella, Hugo Dellien removed from Western & Southern Open | Tennis.com

The two players were in "close and prolonged contact" with a non-player—reported to be Pella's physio, Juan Manuel Galvan—who, per the tournament, "tested positive for COVID-19 within the Western & Southern Open and US Open controlled environment."

www.tennis.com

This is how the protocols start to work.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Report: Guido Pella, Hugo Dellien removed from Western & Southern Open | Tennis.com

The two players were in "close and prolonged contact" with a non-player—reported to be Pella's physio, Juan Manuel Galvan—who, per the tournament, "tested positive for COVID-19 within the Western & Southern Open and US Open controlled environment."

www.tennis.com

This is how the protocols start to work.

I put that earlier on the USO forum do you want me to delete it?

 

[Moxie]

I put that earlier on the USO forum do you want me to delete it?

Sorry I didn't see it, but I don't see any reason to delete.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The ATP has announced the canncellation of the 2020 Kremlin Cup in Moscow due to issues relating to COVID-19