Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov is the first high-profile tennis star to test positive for COVID-19, he announced on Instagram Sunday afternoon.
Grigor Dimitrov, fresh off his appearance at the Adria Series events, tests positive for COVID-19.
He becomes the highest-profile tennis player to disclose a positive test for coronavirus, and he was just with a whole bunch of other high profile players. pic.twitter.com/fliVOabRMb
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) June 21, 2020
Grigor Dimitrov had reportedly spent much of his quarantine in the U.S., but tested positive after traveling to Europe for the exhibition-level Adria Tour.
Grigor Dimitrov had contact with other tennis stars during the course of the tour, including Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev..
https://twitter.com/tumcarayol/status/1274761182461689856
This is poor news for the sport, especially considering the ATP Tour previously extended its suspension of play through the month of July. The U.S. Open is trying to play without fans in New York in early September; this could certainly become an obstacle for the Open as it tries to get the TV money needed to boost the budget of the United States Tennis Association (USTA).
It is also interesting that Grigor Dimitrov had direct contact with Djokovic, mostly because of past statements “Nole” made with respect to a coronavirus vaccine. Djokovic said in April he opposed vaccination (via Christopher Clarey of the New York Times):
“Personally I am opposed to vaccination and I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel,” Djokovic said in comments reported and translated Sunday by Reuters. “But if it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision. I have my own thoughts about the matter, and whether those thoughts will change at some point, I don’t know.”
Djokovic later added he was keeping an “open mind” with respect to the virus, though it would seem players taking part in the Adria Tour took very little precaution.
In fact, Rothenburg quote-tweeted images that seemed to showcase a lack of social distancing in the event where Grigor Dimitrov played.
It is also worth noting about Grigor Dimitrov that in the Belgrade tournament in which he recently participated, ballkids (who fetch the balls at the end of points and give them to the players before they serve) handled towels used by Dimitrov and other tennis players, an obvious way for droplets to spread and create more positive COVID-19 cases.
Watching the all the human closeness and hugging at Adria Tour, you'd almost forget why the Adria Tour exists in the first place.
Hope it goes well, but golly does seeing crowds like this make me nervous in June 2020. https://t.co/o3deFPGkKJ
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) June 12, 2020
Perhaps Grigor Dimitrov's positive test will ring the alarm for players on tour, all of whom are likely still hoping for some semblance of a season in 2020.
Follow Us
Subscribe