The prospects of the Shanghai Masters and three different males’s tournaments happening in China this 12 months look bleak except there’s a speedy enchancment within the COVID-19 state of affairs within the nation, ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has informed Reuters.
China hosted the Winter Olympics beneath strict well being protocols in February however nearly each different worldwide sporting occasion within the nation this 12 months has been cancelled or postponed. The 4 occasions, together with the Masters, are scheduled for September and October and Gaudenzi stated a call on their destiny shall be taken inside the subsequent month.
‘Difficult’ state of affairs
“The choice shall be made quickly. We’re discussing with them on the protocols and on the way in which (ahead),” Gaudenzi stated throughout an interview.
“However I feel if the protocols are too strict, it is going to be fairly unlikely that we are able to have the gamers fly there and do quarantines. The state of affairs is fairly difficult in China. We haven’t decided however we count on to decide within the coming month or so.”
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The French Open was lately held with none well being restrictions and it’s unlikely gamers would conform to go to China if there was any interval of isolation concerned. Along with the October 9-16 Shanghai Masters, China is scheduled to host the Chengdu Open and Zhuhai Championships, each beginning on September 26, and the China Open from October 3-9 in Beijing.
Final 12 months, the ATP Masters occasion in Indian Wells was moved to October from its typical March spot to fill the hole left by the cancellation of the China tournaments. Discovering a equally prestigious substitute in the event that they have been to be cancelled once more this 12 months was unlikely, Gaudenzi stated.
“We should be ready to readjust the calendar and discover substitute single-year occasions if essential, like now we have performed previously two years,” Gaudenzi stated.
“However there’s all the time hope that state of affairs may additionally change over there. We’ll adapt as finest as we are able to.”
The ladies’s tour has no occasions scheduled in China for 2022 because the WTA works to discover a decision to the standoff with China over the Peng Shuai problem. The ATP stays dedicated to placing on tournaments within the nation and introduced final week that the Shanghai Masters was among the many 5 ATP 1000 occasions that shall be performed over 12 days from 2023.
