Dominic Thiem hopeful US Open will go ahead, but warns ‘safety comes first of course’

Dominic Thiem is eager to play in the US Open if it gets the final green light, but the Austrian insists the tournament won’t be allowed to go ahead if the “government sees any danger”.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed in June that the hard-court Grand Slam will take place from August 31-September 13 at Flushing Meadows, but it will be a closed-doors event with strict health and safety protocols.
However, there has been a big increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the United States in recent weeks, raising concerns about whether or not it is safe to travel to New York.
World No 3 Thiem says authorities are likely to make a final decision on the tournament in the coming days.
“I think in the next five to seven days there will be a decision,” he told Austrian broadcaster ORF.
“Of course I hope it (the US Open) will go ahead, but safety comes first of course. We have to follow countries’ governments – if they see any danger, they won’t allow a tournament, especially such a big one as the US Open.”
Thiem also discussed the controversial Adria Tour, which was cancelled after several players tested positive for Covid-19.
The exhibition tournament, the brainchild of world No 1 Novak Djokovic, was staged in the Balkans to raise funds for humanitarian projects in the region, but there was no social distancing as Serbia didn’t have any restrictions in place.
Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all tested positive for Covid-19, but Thiem returned a negative test.
He admitted it was “huge mistake by us all”, adding on ORF: “We all acted much too euphoric. The most important is that we learn from our mistakes.”
Follow us on Twitter @T365Official.
Latest
-
Tennis News
Timeline of Andy Murray’s injury nightmare as he pulls out of Australian Open
Andy Murray is out of next month’s Australian Open here we look at the timeline of Murray’s injury troubles since 2017.
-
News
Andy Murray ‘gutted’ as he shelves plans to play at Australian Open
Murray has been unable to solve a quarantine conundrum.
-
Australian Open
‘Really unjustified’ – Boris Becker leaps to Novak Djokovic’s defence over his quarantine pleas
Boris Becker believes world No.1 Novak Djokovic has come in for unfair criticism after writing a letter to Australian Open chiefs.
-
Tennis News
Umpire suffers heart attack as another Australian Open player tests positive for Covid-19
Spanish player Paula Badosa has announced she has tested positive for coronavirus during quarantine in Australia.
-
News
Laura Robson unsure about tennis future after third hip operation
The 27-year-old said her priority now is to live a pain-free life.
-
Australian Open
Andy Murray believes he can still play at the Australian Open as he plots return to action
Former world No.1 Andy Murray is still hopeful of playing in next month’s Australian Open.
-
Australian Open
Players are urged not to feed the mice in their hotel rooms as Heather Watson turns to Tik Tok
Britain’s Heather Watson has turned to Tik…
-
News
On this day in 2014: Stan Wawrinka ends Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open run
The Swiss won a five-set epic to deny Djokovic a piece of history.
-
News
Novak Djokovic hits back at allegations of being ‘selfish, difficult and ungrateful’
Djokovic says he finds it tough to be ‘a mere onlooker’.