I have been writing about recent exhibition tournaments like Bett1Aces, the Adria Tour, and UTS, but the question is: when will the tennis tour start again?
The reason I started writing about this topic is the reason cancellation of the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. as announced by the ATP Tour in a recent press release. It pushes the schedule for the start of the professional tour even further back. And I would be very surprised if the Masters series in Cincinnati takes place (scheduled for July 22nd. So when will the tennis tour start again?
I obviously don’t have a crystal ball but considering that there have been successful exhibition events like Bett1 Aces and the UTS, it seems like tennis tournaments could resume with certain COVID protocols. I would personally welcome tennis tournaments without spectators at this point and I think there is an opportunity for tennis to take a positive position in the spotlight again since it is a naturally socially distancing sport.
When will the tennis tour start again?
I hope we can see professional tennis at the US Open at the end of August, but if not, that at least tennis could resume in Europe in September with the Generali Open in Kitzbuhel and the Madrid Masters. It all depends on how things develop, but there should be a way to run these tournaments and also minimizing the risk of transmission. You can’t do an Adria Tour where people bump arms, but if not spectator free, you could really limit the number of visitors or just create an exciting streaming experience as they did for some of the exhibitions.
Some tennis is better than no tennis in my opinion. It might feel weird to see spectator-less tennis, but in a time of uncertainty, I think we can get used to the thought after a while. I personally enjoyed both the Bett1 Aces, Thiem’s Seven, and the Ultimate Tennis Showdown. I think the tournaments added value and excitement even without spectators. Since we cannot know now how the COVID situation will be in 2021, it is time to look for a way for tennis to return as soon as possible.
I am keen to hear your thoughts on this topic.
1 comment
In the UK it’s been an interesting change to now have a sequence of domestic tournaments, that are all watchable on-line. Seeing some of the upcoming GB players is something that I hope will continue to see how they progress, and put the superstars we see at majors in perspective. Having said that, I really hope the US Open and Roland Garros go ahead, safely of course.