In the last few hours, evaluating the development of the pandemic, the organizers of the Masters 1000 in Montreal have announced the anti-Covid protocol that tennis players will have to respect to participate in the Canadian Open.
First of all, despite the vaccine, all athletes will have to undergo a mandatory tampon in one of the facilities outside the airport. The tennis players will know the outcome of the test in a few minutes and will receive a message on their email.
Finally, if the swab is positive, there is an isolation period of at least ten days. This last rule, in particular, could force players to miss the Cincinnati Masters 1000 as well.
In fact, it will not be possible to interrupt isolation before ten days have elapsed, regardless of one’s state of health. The Western & Southern Open will be held starting August 14, the day of the Montreal ATP final. Should they test positive, then the tennis players would not have time to leave the solitary confinement before the start of the Cincinnati Masters 1000.
Novak Djokovic will not be in Montreal: he is not vaccinated
The hard-court season will kick off with the Masters 1000 in Montreal and the WTA tournament in Toronto. If the presence of Rafael Nadal now seems certain, with the Spaniard already back to training after the abdominal injury suffered at Wimbledon, there are many doubts related to Novak Djokovic.
Considering the entry rules currently in force in Canada and the United States, the Serbian champion could not participate in the two Masters 1000 events and the US Open. The Canadian health minister, speaking of the Djokovic case, explained: “You will have to roll up your sleeves and receive the vaccine to play with us.”
The Serb, however, are focused on the last Grand Slam of the year and have not played the Canadian tournament since 2019. Djokovic, questioned about the American season, revealed:
“I’m a professional tennis player, I don’t go into politics or anything else because I don’t care. I am an advocate of the freedom to choose what is best for you. If I get permission, I’ll be there. Otherwise I won’t be there, it’s not the end of the world.”