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NEW YORK (AP) — When Andy Murray sat within the U.S. Open’s important interview room for a pre-tournament information convention Saturday, the moderator knowledgeable the 2012 champion he was allowed to take away the type of gentle blue medical masks that has change into so ubiquitous through the coronavirus pandemic.
In contrast to the 9 gamers who met with the media in that spot a day earlier, Murray selected to maintain his masks on. And in contrast to roughly half the opposite males who can be taking the court docket when the yr’s final Grand Slam match begins Monday, Murray has been vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19.
He needs extra tennis execs have been. It units up a few contrasts at Flushing Meadows in relation to a hot-button issue across society lately, particularly as circumstances linked to the delta variant enhance.
For one factor, gamers and their workforce members don’t should be vaccinated, however the spectators who’ve paid to look at them — and at some courts can get shut sufficient to the motion to supply high-fives — now should have the ability to present they’ve had not less than one shot.
Plus, among the many gamers, there are these, comparable to No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic, who body the choice about whether or not to get a shot as a purely private alternative. And there are these, comparable to Murray, who clarify it as being not nearly defending oneself but in addition about serving to others.
“I really feel like I’m having fun with form of a reasonably regular life, whereas for the gamers that haven’t, it’s completely different. I’m certain they’ll be pissed off with that. Finally, I assume the rationale why all of us are getting vaccinated is to look out for the broader public. We have now a duty as gamers which might be touring internationally to look out for everybody else, as effectively,” Murray mentioned. “I’m blissful that I’m vaccinated. I’m hoping that extra gamers select to have it within the coming months.”
An ATP spokesman mentioned Saturday that simply above 50% of male gamers are vaccinated and the tour “continues to strongly suggest vaccination to gamers.” The WTA did not instantly reply to a request for info.
As lately as Wednesday, the U.S. Tennis Affiliation mentioned followers would not should be vaccinated. However, prompted by the New York mayor’s workplace, the USTA did an about-face Friday, making it obligatory for followers over 12 years previous coming into the grounds to indicate proof they’ve obtained one dose — drawing reward on social media from these happy concerning the additional layer of precaution and complaints from others upset concerning the coverage and its timing.
Individuals who work together with gamers already have been required to be vaccinated: USTA staff, chair umpires, ball children, the media and a few in safety and transportation.
Some gamers say their itinerant life-style, recurrently touring from metropolis to metropolis — and even continent to continent — makes getting the vaccine difficult.
“There are some alternatives which have come up all year long. Perhaps a handful,” mentioned three-time main semifinalist Johanna Konta, who isn’t vaccinated and pulled out of Wimbledon due to contact tracing after a workforce member examined optimistic for COVID-19, then bought sick herself and missed the Tokyo Olympics. “However clearly it’s a logistical factor to place collectively and to time these issues. That’s simply the character of form of our sport.”
In contrast to in workforce sports activities such because the NFL or Main League Baseball, the place vaccines have been inspired and incentivized, tennis may be very a lot a person sport, the place sure tournaments supply gamers the possibility to get photographs on-site and others do not — together with the U.S. Open itself.
“We supplied the athletes with the data of the place they’ll go to be vaccinated within the neighborhood of the resort. … There are such a lot of places right here in New York Metropolis for non-citizens to obtain a vaccine,” match director Stacey Allaster mentioned. “We gained’t particularly be doing it right here on-site.”
Coco Gauff, the 17-year-old American who was a French Open quarterfinalist in June, mentioned she was presupposed to get her first vaccine shot the identical week she bought COVID-19.
“The actual drawback is simply getting the dosages spaced out and, clearly, going from nation to nation is tough,” Gauff mentioned this month.
“However,” she mentioned, “I’m going to get it as quickly as I can.”
Different gamers, comparable to Stefanos Tsitsipas, the runner-up to Djokovic on the French Open, say they solely can be vaccinated if it have been required.
“In some unspecified time in the future I must, I’m fairly certain about it, however thus far it hasn’t been obligatory to compete, so I haven’t executed it,” mentioned Tsitsipas, who’s scheduled to face Murray on Monday.
Djokovic and his spouse, Jelena, examined optimistic for the coronavirus final yr after he organized a collection of exhibition matches whereas the professional excursions have been on hiatus.
“I really feel like that needs to be at all times a private resolution, whether or not you wish to get vaccinated or not. So I’m supportive of that,” Djokovic mentioned. “So whether or not somebody desires to get a vaccine or not, that’s fully as much as them. I hope that it stays that manner.
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Extra AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports activities
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