Categories: ATPBreaking News

We were wrong to play Adria Tour, says Thiem

After winning the only completed leg of Novak Djokovic’s chaotic Adria Tour, Dominic Thiem is counting himself lucky that he has so far emerged untouched by the COVID-19 infections which felled other players at the exhibition event.

The Serbian’s spectacle tagged Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki – plus Djokovic and his wife – with positive virus tests and threw a shadow over ambitious plans to relaunch ATP and WTA tennis in August.

Also studying the situation are bosses of the US and French Opens, both of whose grand Slams are due to proceed in the August-October period.

Theim has since tried to make amends:
 
“I was shocked when I got the news from the Adria Tour,” Austria’s ATP No. 3 said on Instagram.

“We played without an audience (in Belgrade and Zadar, Croatia) for (two) week(ends), so we have been more than happy about the fans at the event.

“We trusted the Serbian Government’s rules but we have been too optimistic. Our behaviour was a mistake, we acted too euphorically. I am extremely sorry.”

Thiem has apparently come up virus free after multiple tests between exhibition tournament sites and his Vienna base.

“I’ve now gotten tested five times within the last 10 days and the result was always negative. I wish everyone who has been infected all the best and a quick recovery.”

Djokovic and his combatative father are copping increasing heat for putting the event together amid the relaxed Serbian social distancing standards. 

The tournament full of fans sitting close to each other just like in the “good old days” was abruptly cancelled at the weekend in Croatia when the Dimitrov positive test emerged.

Peter Rowe

Recent Posts

Nadal goes down in final match

Rafael Nadal lined up for what was to be the final match of his career…

3 days ago

Sinner flattens de Minaur in runaway home start

Jannik Sinner took charge in front of his home crowd on Sunday, crushing ATP Finals…

2 weeks ago

Madcap Medvedev suffers temperamental Turin Finals loss

Daniil Medvedev went into meltdown mode on Sunday during a highly charged 6-4, 6-3 loss, with opponent…

2 weeks ago

Team Sinner considering skipping Monte Carlo

Jannik Sinner could well be missing from the opening European clay event of next season…

2 weeks ago

Davis Cup Final to mark Nadal goodbye to tennis

Rafael Nadal will bring down the curtain on his career next month as he plays his…

1 month ago

Wimbledon lowers the boom on human linecalling

Wimbledon on Wednesday brought an end to human linecalling at the most traditional of the…

1 month ago