US Open qualifying tournament not open for fans due to COVID fears

This year’s US Open tennis qualifying tournament will be held with no fans in attendance. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) made this decision following rising COVID-19 cases in the USA. 

USTA announced that fans will not be able to attend the qualifying round, a decision they made after discussing it with health authorities in New York City. 

“For 2021, the US Open Qualifying Tournament will not be open for fans to attend. This was a particularly tough decision for the USTA to make, given the immense popularity of US Open Qualifying among fans, but after consulting with local health authorities and the US Open medical team, it was determined that it was the right decision to ensure the health and safety of all,” said the USTA statement. 

The USTA stated that the indoor capacity at the venue has been reduced to adhere to COVID-19 norms, which has forced them to move dining, training, and other facilities outdoors. With a large number of qualifiers and their entourage, they think that there may not be enough room for fans at the venue.

The USTA statement highlighted the need to ensure fan and player safety at the US Open: “Qualifying week is the time when the greatest number of players and their entourages are on site. With 256 qualifiers sharing space with the hundreds of main draw singles and doubles players, as well as all of those players’ respective teams, over 2,500 people need to be accessing the site during this week.”

The qualifying rounds for the 2021 US Open will be held between August 24 and 27, while the first round of the tournament will commence on August 30. 

The USTA declared recently that fans will be allowed for the main draw of the US Open at 100% capacity at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center arena. 

Last year’s US Open was held behind closed doors, but fans have been allowed in this year’s Grand Slams so far. Wimbledon saw capacity crowds with fans having to send in negative tests to be eligible to watch the games, while the French and Australian Opens capped the capacity at the venues. 

Last year’s Men’s Singles title at the US Open was won by Dominic Thiem, his first Grand Slam win, while Naomi Osaka won the Women’s Singles title. Osaka has two US Open titles, as she won in the 2018 edition as well.