Tennis : after Dimitrov, the tower of Coric to be declared positive for the coronavirus

Borna Coric is positive for the coronavirus after his participation in the Adria Tower.

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22 June 2020 8h08

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Tennis : after Dimitrov, the tower of Coric to be declared positive for the coronavirus

Igor Gedilaghine

Agence France-Presse

PARIS — The feast was she too beautiful ? Two of the players, Grigor Dimitrov and Borna Coric, brought together by Novak Djokovic for a bacchanal around the tennis courts in the Balkans have been tested positive for the coronavirus, which leaves the fear of a domino effect before the recovery of the ATP circuit and in particular the US Open.

Dimitrov, 19th world was flat for his match against Coric Sunday to Zadar. The explanation dreaded fell on the same evening by a tweet from the Bulgarian who had hurriedly left his colleagues in Croatia : “I was tested positive to the COVID-19 on my return to Monaco”.

Contrary to the outpourings that marked the Adria Tower until then, Dimitrov was simply “checked” Coric at the end of their match. His tweet caused the cancellation of the final of Zadar between Djokovic and Russian Andrey Rublev (14th) and Monday morning, Coric announced to turn out to be positive.

“Hello everyone, I wanted to tell you that I was tested positive to the COVID-19. I want to be certain that any person who has been in contact with me these last few days to do test ! I’m really sorry for the hurt I have been able to do it !”, written Coric (33rd) in a tweet which is very similar to the one published Sunday by Dimitrov.

At the same time, the physical trainer of Djokovic Marko Paniki and the coach of Dimitrov Kristijan Groh have also tested positive, according to the local press, which stated that the N. 1 in the world has quickly left Zadar to Belgrade, where it has been tested on a Monday morning.

The feast

The Serbian capital, including the football club Red Star announced on Monday that five of its players had tested positive for coronavirus, has welcomed the first step of the Adria Tower in mid-June. And the images that have been released have of what to bring to a simmer lawyers of distancing physical.

There is no distancing physical between Djokovic and Dimitrov during a basketball game.

AFP

A stage fills, almost not a mask of protection, male and female players, who give accolades on the court, dine together without any precaution, lie topless in-a-box (have especially been noticed in this year Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Dimitrov), play basketball without any restriction of contact…

Of course, none of this was in contradiction with the directives of the regional health authorities. Djokovic had also responded to the criticism on the lack of difference observed in carrying forward the balance sheet “rather decent” countries of the Balkans in their fight against the coronavirus. No problem, so.

But that was before… Before that Dimitrov and Coric does not acknowledge that they have been contaminated.

“Decision-moron to make the exhibition […], this is what happens when we do not respect the protocols. This IS NOT A JOKE”, tweeted the Australian Nick Kyrgios.

“How can I explain to my students that they must respect the distances when Djokovic holds farandoles on the court ? It is an image catastrophe!, has vitupéré the vice-president of the Federation of German Dirk Hordoff. It is not that of the players, there were hundreds of young people in contact with them. There is no rule-of-health-and shows it proudly in video, arms me fall”.

Fears

Because now, there are fears of a domino effect of catastrophic for tennis since have also participated in the Adria Round Dominic Thiem (3rd) and Alexander Zverev (7th). The latter has been tested negative, just as Marin Cilic (37th) and Rublev, who has announced to put its own head in quatorzaine.

On the other hand, Thiem had left a few days earlier the Balkans to reach the south of France to participate in the competition of Patrick Mouratoglou, the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS), where are also gathered including Stefanos Tsitsipas (6th), Matteo Berrettini (8th) and David Goffin (10th).

The organization of the UTS was announced on Friday, photo evidence, that Thiem had been tested on its arrival. “All the players were tested on their arrival before participating in the SWU”, emphasized the great organizer and Mouratoglou on Sunday evening.

Still, the cluster of the Balkans could be costly for the ATP tour and the US Open which will be held no qualifications (31 August-13 September), but for which several big names have expressed reluctance (particularly Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Simona Halep) as to the conditions and restrictions, and sanitary.

Le Soleil