After going back 4 months until September to escape the worst of the coronavirus, the French Open begins on Sunday, still suffering to loosen the clutches of the fatal pandemic.
As a result, Rafael Nadal’s bid for a 13th name in Paris and a record 20 Slam, and Novak Djokovic’s quest for a momentary win in the French capital, to take him to 18 majors, rival fitness in the war for the attention of the public.
After gambling optimistically to allow 20,000 enthusiasts to sneak into the compact Roland Garros venue, that number dropped from 11,500 to 5,000 as Covid-19 infections rose.
On Sunday night, the French Tennis Federation said players competing in the men’s playoffs had been fired.
Two tested positive while another 3 had contacted a coach who had also tested positive.
One of five players the most sensitive former 30 of Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who forced quarantine after his coach Petar Popovic tested positive.
“We’re sure it’s a false positive because my coach has anti-bodies,” Dzumhur wrote on Instagram.
“He was not allowed to take a test at the moment. I’m devastated. “
Others have been named in the Spanish media such as Ernesto Escobedo from the United States, Denis Istomin from Uzbekistan, Bernabe Zapata Miralles from Spain and Pedja Krstin from Serbia.
Popovic told L’Equipe that it is a “scandal” and that if “Nadal had been in our place, he would have been entitled to a moment or 3rd test. “
Between Thursday and Sunday, around 900 Covid-19s were held.
Some had no doubts about their rigour.
“The French Open doesn’t play any games with this Covid test,” American Sachia Vickery tweeted. “I felt this deep in my thoughts!
To worsen the issues, he later revealed monday that a player, in a position to be included in the playoffs, had also tested positive and had been withdrawn.
Fears about the spread of the virus had already led protective champion and world number one Ashleigh Barty to skip the tournament.
The Australian also decided not to participate in the recent US Open, as did Nadal and 2018 Roland Garros champion Simona Halep.
At Roland Garros, he and his entourage will be confined to two bioinsurance hotels.
– ‘Special Year’ –
On Paris’ own red clay, where he has lost twice in his career, Nadal will be looking for a thirteenth name in what will be his fifth tournament in 2020.
The 34-year-old arrives a little poorly cooked with a quarter-final outing in Rome week, leading to the hypothesis that a dethronement is imminent.
However, the Spaniard knows that when he lost at the same level in the Italian capital in 2017, he temporarily swept a tenth Roland Garros wasting a set.
“It’s an absolutely special and unpredictable year,” said Nadal, whose appearance in Rome is the first on the tour since February.
Djokovic, meanwhile, remains Nadal’s biggest threat, Dominic Thiem, recently crowned US Open champion, complains that he has finished with the Spaniard in Paris in the last two years.
Having been excluded from the US Open, Djokovic recovered in Rome with a final victory over Diego Schwartzman, Nadal’s conqueror, giving the world number one a record 36 Masters crown.
Djokovic now has four trophies at times in 2020 with a 31-1 win-loss record.
The victory in Rome came the day he achieved his 287th week as world number one, beating Pete Sampras on the all-time list and with Roger Federer 310 ahead of him.
There is no Federer in Paris this year, as the Swiss continues to readjust after knee surgery forced him to cancel his 2020 season.
US Open winner Naomi Osaka, who still reached the third circular in the French capital, is recovering from a thigh injury.
Serena Williams is expected to play as the 38-year-old continues her quest for a major hard-to-reach.
However, Roland Garros champion 2002, 2013 and 2015 indicated that she was unsure after the organizers insisted that all players stay in the tournament hotels.
Williams says he prefers to wear his Paris.
Meanwhile, Roland Garros will throw its new retractable roof into the centerpiece of the Philippe Chatrier court.
The tenuous Gentile – a real challenge with the occasion ending this year on 11 October – will at least be offset by 4 illuminated short films.