Tennis, swabs at all airports in Canada, players think about it

Omicron 5, the latest ‘dominant’ variant of Covid, is terrorizing the entire world. Infections are starting to rise dramatically (and we know about it in Italy), unfortunately the game is not immune to the virus. Especially now that the restrictions are gone. Or nearly so, as many states still allow only those who have been vaccinated to enter.

Defensive measures

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The Combined 1000 begins on Friday, August 5 in Canada, one of these countries, in Montreal (men) and Toronto (women). But there’s more: Health officials are considering banning entry to those who haven’t received any vaccinations and taking some extra precautions to avoid dangerous outbreaks, such as a quick sweep of airports in their territories. A true screening, in short, to prevent any positive, symptomatic or not. This decision came directly from the local government, not from the organization of the competition. The (partial) good news for those coming to Canada is that, at least initially, swaps will not be carried out for all travelers, but roughly, with a lot of draw. At risk, those who are caught positive should remain in isolation for about 10 days.

No disrespect

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This could have a significant impact on competition and player participation in the Canadian 1000. In fact, it is not uncommon for tennis players to be completely asymptomatic and therefore not know they have Covid. A positive upon arrival in Canada will result in a 10-day quarantine and will not be able to compete. Because of this, and precisely to avoid such a situation, the ATP calls on athletes to make quick swaps before going to Canada, but even this may not be enough: an athlete starting from Europe, Asia or Australia. Flight duration is negative on departure and positive on arrival. The Italians in particular are casting the necessary spells for everyone already ‘burned’ by the Matteo Berrettini affair at Wimbledon with the Romanian unable to participate precisely because of Covid. Also, the Canadian authorities have again excluded any insults to the entry of unvaccinated persons, which was categorically excluded in the case of Novak Djokovic’s participation in the trip to Montreal.