Later it emerged that three other players - Borna Coric, Viktor Troicki, and Novak Djokovic himself - were also positive. Things went from bad to worse when tournament director and tennis legend Goran Ivanisevic also contracted the virus despite having tested negative twice before.
The tour, which was hosted and funded by Novak Djokovic and his family, was controversial from the very beginning. There were packed crowds and lax safety protocols, and at one point the players were even seen dancing with their shirts off at a nightclub in Belgrade. And Novak Djokovic, as host and World No. 1, bore the brunt of the heat from critics despite an apology.
Many believe the failures of the Adria Tour have put the rest of the tennis season in a very precarious position. But the European clay swing, which is scheduled to begin in mid-September, still wishes to have spectators at the venue.
Roland Garros tournament director Guy Forget has now weighed in on the issue, talking about what other events can learn from Novak Djokovic’s Adria Tour debacle.
Even a few cases is too much: Guy Forget on Novak Djokovic’s ill-fated exhibition
Speaking to Reuters, Guy Forget referred to the mistakes made by Novak Djokovic at the Adria Tour and said that tournament organizers need to implement as many safety restrictions as possible. According to Forget, even a few isolated cases are not acceptable given the situation that the world is in right now.
Forget, who himself is a former World No. 4 tennis player, further went on to talk about the lessons learned form Novak Djokovic’s event.
Despite having eased restrictions, France is still reporting nearly 500 cases daily even as citizens and authorities clamor for normal life to resume. Forget maintained, however, that having fans at the French Open is very important.
The Frenchman also spoke about the distinct differences between how tournaments will be operated in the United States and in Europe, due to the varying intensity of the outbreak.
The US Open and Cincinnati Masters (also to take place in New York) have their own issues to deal with as the virus is still at large in the United States. Despite the strict safety measures announced by the authorities for both tournaments, many have questioned how players will travel from all over the world to the United States in August.
These concerns have especially been exacerbated after Frances Tiafoe, the American No. 8, also tested positive for the virus during an exhibition tournament in Atlanta.
Forget on his part does not want to take his eye off the prize; he claimed that he cannot rest and cannot be sure of anything, until the men’s final concludes on 11 October.
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