The Coronavirus Fallout: As in tournament performance who will take the biggest hit?

     "I agree with most players, but I do understand why some players think the Tour should continue," Novak Djokovic told the Republika media of Serbia. Many players look forward to entering some tournaments with the privilege of getting a wild card to have a chance on winning at events. The situation of not having a wild card is one thing, but not having a tournament is quite another.

     The BNP Paribas' Indian Wells tournament was the first major tennis event to be cancelled. Everyone was in shock of the announcement by Director Tommy Haas and was beginning to feel how important and involved this coronavirus is. John Wertheim from Tennis Channel had said that "...we've had games postponed, we've had Olympic boycotts but I can't remember anything like this..." It was Steve Weissman of Tennis Channel that emphasized that the Indian Wells event "It won't be cancelled but it just won't be held at this time..." In the segment Tennis Channel commentators discussed that it was mentiond Indian wells would be postponed until maybe after the U.S. Open. But then there ws mention of the tour schedul filled and that tournaments just can't be replaed or changed. 

     Players that are not at the top ranked in the ATP, WTA as well as the ITF fours will feel the pinch the most. "For the top players it's not that bigger deal as the players' ranked outside the 30s or 40s..." Lindsay Davenport, former player and Tennis Channel commentator had mentioned. Despite the fact that Rafael Nadal ranked no. 2 in the world, he tries to stay optimistic saying "I hope it is controlled, that a remedy is found and this uncertainty is stopped, this psychosis, this fear." He had just won the Mexican Open and along with Novak Djokovic winning the Dubai Duty Free tennis Championships, Roger Federer is on the mend from arthroscopic knee surgery.

     The players in the 30s and beyond are the ones being highly affected by the coronavirus pandemic of tournaments being cancelled and what financial means they have to live on until the next event comes around is tought to see through. Italy's Fabio Fognini just a few days ago worried about how he would be permitted to travel to the United States to Italy to play at Indian Wells and now that plus the Miami Open might be cancelled. He has missed tournaments since having injuries which kept him in Italy with his family. Players' ranked beyond the 40s will face the biggest financial and playing challenges where they need to elevate their monies as well as playing performances. The wild cards and lucky losers as well as qualifiers rely on playing in tournaments with the bigger sponsors to elevate their status. They cannot afford to skip, miss or lose at events and for them this is troublesome. 

     The coronavirus situation will hopefully start to dissipate and things will return to normal again. But the question is not if--as much as when.

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