ジョコビッチ、全米ＯＰ開催への懐疑論を軟化

【パリＡＦＰ＝時事】男子テニス、世界ランク1位のノバク・ジョコビッチ（セルビア）は18日、全米オープンテニスを開催することへの自身の懐疑論を軟化させるかのごとく、同大会が新型コロナウイルスの影響で中止されたウィンブルドン選手権や今季大半の試合の二の舞いを回避できて「最高にうれしい」と喜んだ。（写真は男子テニスのノバク・ジョコビッチ）
　四大大会（グランドスラム）通算１７勝を誇り、全米オープンでは３度優勝しているジョコビッチは当初、新型コロナウイルスの影響が全米で最も深刻だったニューヨークのフラッシング・メドウズにおいて、８月３１日に全米オープンを開幕させるという全米テニス協会の方針に難色を示していた。その際には、大会の衛生管理規定が「極端」で「不可能」と不満をあらわにしていた。
　しかしながらこの日は、ユーロスポーツのポッドキャスト「テニスレジェンド」で、主催者にとって後押しとなるような前向きな考えを示し、開幕が９月下旬に変更された全仏オープンテニスについても言及しつつ、「特に四大大会（グランドスラム）が開催されることになり、すべての大会日程を見て最高にうれしいし、わくわくしている」と話した。
　「多くの人が懐疑的だったと思う。パンデミック（世界的な大流行）のことを考えると、特に米国での大会はそうだった」「だから、自分も含めて大勢が開催できるかどうか疑っていた」
　「開催されることになって本当にうれしいのはもちろんだ。それにいろいろな機会や仕事、そして選手に競技の場が与えられることは、とても重要なことだ」「なぜなら結局のところ、これが僕らの仕事だからだ！プロテニス選手として僕らはこの仕事を愛している、つまりこれに情熱を傾けているんだ。競技や旅が懐かしいし、何よりもツアーが恋しい。だから、これはとても前向きなニュースだと思う」
　現在３３歳のジョコビッチは、全米オープンが開幕するまでに、南米出身の選手の渡航を含めた厳しい制限が緩和されることを願っていると話し、「これからの２か月間で、これらの制限が多少緩和され、素晴らしい大会になることを願おう」とコメントした。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/06/19-13:33）

World number one Novak Djokovic appeared to row back on scepticism over plans to stage the US Open, saying on Thursday he was extremely happy the Grand Slam had escaped the coronavirus cull which claimed Wimbledon and much of the season.
Djokovic had initially voiced unease over the United States Tennis Association's intention to keep the event starting on August 31 at Flushing Meadows despite New York being the hardest-hit city by the US coronavirus crisis.
He described health protocols as extreme and impossible.
However, organisers will have been encouraged by the positive noises coming from the three-time US Open champion on Thursday.
I'm extremely happy and excited to see that all the tournaments, especially Grand Slams, are organising their events, the Serb said in reference also to the French Open, rescheduled now to start in late September.
I think that a lot of people were sceptical, especially for the US events considering what the US went through as a country during this pandemic, the 17-time Grand Slam winner told Eurosport's Tennis Legends podcast.
So a lot of people, including myself, were quite sceptical on whether it would happen or not.
We are very glad that it is happening, of course, and it is very important that we provide opportunities, we provide jobs, we provide opportunities for players to compete.
Because at the end of the day, this is what we do! As tennis professionals we love the sport; we are passionate about it. We miss competing and travelling and, at the end of the day, we miss being on tour. So I think this is very positive news.
The 33-year-old said he hoped the stringent restrictions including the existing ban on South American players travelling to compete would be eased before the Grand Slam gets underway.
Let's hope that in the next two months some of those restrictions will loosen up a bit and that we will have a great, great tournament.
- 'Perpetuating my unemployment' -
This month Djokovic had said that most players he had spoken to had a rather negative view about playing in New York, and predicted some would instead switch to the delayed clay court season.
A number of other players have also expressed doubts over the US Open including defending champion Rafael Nadal who said that he would not take part if the event was taking place now.
Women's world number one Ashleigh Barty as well as Wimbledon champion Simona Halep have also expressed reservations.
The US Open will be played without fans in attendance while strict health protocols will be in place.
However, there has been anger at the decision to drop qualifying from the tournament.
Cheers to ATP and US Open for further perpetuating my unemployment, tweeted world number 195 Mitchell Krueger of the United States.
Sachia Vickery, the women's world number 158, tweeted: What a slap in the face to all the players in qualifying that won?t even have a chance to compete and who literally depend on the money from grand slams to survive.
Wary of the fall-out, the USTA said $6.6 million will be put aside as compensation for those affected by missing out on the 128-player main draw.
There was also anger too at the decision not to stage a wheelchair tournament at the US Open this year.
Massively disappointed to find out on Twitter this morning that the @usopen plan on cutting wheelchair tennis from this years tournament, tweeted Paralympic champion Gordon Reid, who is also a four-time doubles winner in New York.
The wheelchair players have had ZERO communication or consultation from either the ITF or the Grand Slam around this decision.
International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons added: The decision has left a lot of the athlete community rightly upset and angered.