Former World No. 384 Starts Petition Asking ITF to Stop All Tournaments

With the cancelation of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the uncertainty around other upcoming tennis tournaments in the United States and Europe, one former player has started a petition asking the International Tennis Federation to stop all ITF tournaments until the situation is brought under control.

Claudio Fortuna, the Italian player and former World No. 384 in the ATP rankings, started the petition on the change.org website.

'We don’t see any logic in keep going scheduling and playing ITF Tournaments in this critical moment. Italians are forced to stay home while in Europe and all over the world the corona virus COVID19 is expanding every day more. Traveling and competing for sure NOT the right answer to fight against this illness and it’s dangerous either for the players either for anybody being in contact with them. In Italy we launched the hashtag #stayhome, I believe this should be the politic which also ITF MUST use from now on, STOP COMPETING COMPLETELY AND FREEZE THE RANKINGS until the world will have this situation under control!'

29 year old Fortuna is not currently active on the tour having undergone elbow surgery recently and last played on the circuit in May 2019. He says he is unlikely to come back to playing professionally on the circuit but has taken the initiative in order to protect the interests of the other players who are badly affected by the current situation.

It is very likely that the Miami Open and the upcoming events in Europe will be canceled on account of the COVID-19 outbreak.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2Warqb6