Tennis Azarenka requires mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations

Author Steve Keating

NEW YORK (Reuters) Victoria Azarenka advanced to the third round of the US Open by winning 6-3 7-6 (1) Italys Jasmine Paolin on Wednesday, saying she was delighted to be able to play in front of the audience again at Flushing Meadows. vaccinated fans.

Azarenka made it to the finals last year before losing to Naomi Osaka, but did so in empty stadiums as COVID-19 restrictions prevented spectators from Billie Jean King’s National Tennis Center.

This year, fans have returned, but only those with evidence of vaccination and the 18th-ranked Belarusian admitted confusion as to why the rules don’t extend to players as well.

It was great to get back to play in front of fans and mostly vaccinated, said the two-time Australian Open champion who withdrew from the WTA Tour in April because it hit with his planned COVID-19 vaccination.

I find it a little strange that fans have to be vaccinated and players don’t.

So I think it’s inevitable that it will be given at some point, as other leagues do.

I see no reason to stop it because I think we all want to be safe, we all want to keep doing our job.

Last week, the mayors of New York handed out a vaccination certificate to Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the major is hosting his best match.

The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) then decided to extend the vaccination requirement to all participants over the age of 12 who arrive at the sprawling facility.

Both the WTA and the ATP have called for players to be vaccinated, but some have expressed reservations and declared the decision a freedom of choice.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, the world’s third-largest, said he would only get COVID-19 if the tennis competition became mandatory.

World number one Novak Djokovic, who is looking to complete the calendar year Grand Slam tournament at the US Open, said in April he hoped the COVID-19 vaccine would not become mandatory for players and has refused to answer questions about his own vaccination status.

I respect everyone’s opinion, as long as it’s not a conspiracy theory, said Azarenka, three times second-place finisher at the US Open. If you have real information and you’ve researched research and you have facts, statistics, and research, it’s a different conversation.

I hope as an association we make the best decision for our business, our health, our tournaments, our audience.

(Report by Steve Keating in New York, ed. Ed Osmond)