Tennis – According to the US Open, fans must have proof of access to the COVID vaccine Mighty 790 KFGO

NEW YORK (Reuters) Tennis fans 12 years of age or older must present proof of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to participate in the US Open, tournament authorities announced on Friday, just three days before the main draw.

New York City mayors delivered a vaccination certificate to Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday, where the major will host his best match, the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) said.

The USTA then decided to extend the vaccination requirement to all participants 12 years of age or older at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, regardless of what facilities the ticket holders intend to enter.

Every U.S. Open participant who has tickets to the ArthurAsheStadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium, Tribunal, or U.S. Open site is required to prove at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the USTA said in a written statement.

It was not immediately clear whether the players would be affected by the assignment, as some have expressed reluctance to get a shot.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, the world’s third, said earlier this month that he will only receive COVID-19 if a tennis competition becomes mandatory.

The announcement marked a sudden change for the US Open, the crown jewel of the American tennis calendar, and the last major of years, who previously said it would secure unvaccinated fans to wear masks.

The tournament ran without fans in 2020.

(Reporting by Amy Tennery, editing by Rosalba OBrien)