Former Australian Open semi-finalist Danielle Collins has been dismissed from the World Team Tennis tournament after breaking COVID-19 protocols, organisers said in a statement on Tuesday.
The world No.51 has been kicked out of the tournament after leaving The Greenbrier Resort and the state of West Virginia without authorisation. Although the exact details of the violation and why Collins left the venue hasn’t been disclosed to the public. Strict conditions are in place at the event due to the threat of the Pandemic with West Virginia athletic programme announcing on Saturday that 28 of its football players have tested positive for COVID-19.
“We have dismissed Danielle Collins … for the remainder of the 2020 World TeamTennis season after breaking our COVID-19 protocols and leaving The Greenbrier Resort and the state of West Virginia,” WTT Chief Executive Carlos Silva said in a statement.
“The protocols have been put in place and communicated numerous times to protect the health and safety of our players, coaches and staff which are of utmost importance to WTT.”
Collins is yet to comment on the decision to remove her from the competition. The 26-year-old has been ranked as high as 23rd but is yet to win a WTA title. Her biggest triumph was winning the 2018 Newport Beach Challenger which is a WTA 125 event.
The WTT is the first major tennis league to take place since the ATP and WTA Tours was suspended on March 9th due to the pandemic. Founded in 1973, the mixed team event has a series of top players taking part this year including Venus Williams, Kim Clijsters, Sloane Stephens and Taylor Fritz. Overall, there are approximately 60 players taking part in total during the three-week period.
Organisers have implemented a series of conditions for those taking part to abide by. Including undertaking morning temperature checks, not having ball kids on the courts during matches and anybody who tests positive for COVID-19 will not be allowed on the WTT facilities.
Prior to the event starting, former Australian Open quarter-finals Frances Taifoe pulled out after testing positive for the virus. Tiafoe’s positive test occurred during another event he was taking part in Atlanta.
This year’s WTT features nine teams and will conclude on August 2nd.
