US Open: New York State gives green light to spectator-free tournament

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has given the goahead for the US Open to take place on the dates first planned, albeit behind closed doors and with anti-coronavirus measures in place. The United States Tennis Association had all but confirmed the event was to go ahead without a date change, and New York State has now given the tournament its blessing to start on August 31. “The USTA will take extraordinary precautions to protect players and staff, including robust testing, additional cleaning, extra locker room space, and dedicated housing and transportation,” Cuomo said on Twitter. The Cincinnati Open is being moved to New York to function as a warm-up event at the same venue as part of the USTA’s proposals. Players will reportedly be limited to one member of support staff and have to live in a “bubble” in designated hotels in Queens, which has not gone down well with many including men’s world number one Novak Djokovic. USTA chief executive and executive director Mike Dowse said the organisation was “incredibly excited that Governor Cuomo and New York State have today approved our plan”.