World No.2 Dominic Thiem has played down any potential concerns he may have about playing at this year’s US Open after one player was withdrawn from the tournament on Sunday.
Benoit Paire has been placed into isolation in his New York hotel room after testing positive for COVID-19. The Frenchman had been dealing with some kind of illness recently and retired during his first round match at the Western and Southern Open over a week ago. Although all of his COVID-19 tests had been negative until the weekend. In a statement the USTA didn’t mention Paire’s name but said the player in question was asymptomatic.
The New York Grand Slam is taking place behind closed doors for the first time in history due to the pandemic with players being kept inside a ‘biosecure bubble.’ Those who exit the bubble without authorisation could be expelled from the tournament. Reacting to the news of Paire’s positive test, Thiem believes there is no need for panic.
“The possibility that somebody is going to be positive is pretty high. I just wish all the best to Benoit. Hopefully nobody else is positive, as well. That’s the most important thing,” Thiem told reporters on Sunday.
“I think there is no safer place in the world right now than here. Maybe you can lock yourself somewhere in a cave or something, I don’t know, in the middle of the sea. Otherwise, it’s super safe here. We are in a bubble.”
“In general, it’s very, very safe and very strict,” he added.
Despite Thiem’s assurances, there are concerns for a potential outbreak. It had been reported that a series of French players were asked to remain in their room after coming in close contact with Paire. Although some have since been allowed to leave and train privately.
According to Noah Rubin, who is playing at the US Open, a total of 11 players has been in ‘close contact’ with Paire. Speaking on the Behind The Racket podcast Rubin claims this group has had to sign new documentation and will no longer have access to certain areas at the venue but will still be allowed to play. A somewhat controversial decision given that Guido Pella and Hugo Dellien were removed from a tournament last week after their trainer tested positive for the virus.
“My best guess is that one, if not a couple, top players are part of these 11 and they are not willing to give up their tournament. Maybe 11 is too big of a number to start pulling them out of the tournament?“ Rubin said.
“Whatever the case is, not only did they (officials) contradict what happened to Guido and Hugo, but they are basically going against everything New York has worked for.”
Meanwhile, Canadian website Open Court reports that Paire had initially named 30 people at the start of the contract tracing process. Furthermore, their sources have reported that the Frenchman played card games with a series of players that includes Kristina Mladenovic. Paire had also been practising with Daniil Medvedev.
The USTA is yet to comment on those who have been in contact with Paire and it is unclear as to what the new documentation these players have signed entails.
