Two positive virus tests at Djokovic event

Sport

Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki tested positive for COVID-19 after playing in Novak Djokovic’s Adria Tour exhibition event, raising serious concerns for tennis governing bodies in their bid to restart the sport after a lengthy shutdown.

The professional circuit was halted in early March as nations closed borders and imposed lockdowns to contain the spread of the virus.

Last week the men’s ATP and the WTA, which runs women’s events, issued revised calendars for the resumption of the circuit from August while organisers of the U.S. Open said the Grand Slam will be staged without fans as scheduled from Aug. 31 to Sept. 13 in New York.

Those plans, however, could need to be redrawn after three players who had featured in the Adria Tour event tested positive for the coronavirus. On Sunday Grigor Dimitrov said he had contracted the novel coronavirus.

While the players did not break any Serbian or Croatian government protocols, as neither country required the athletes to maintain any social distancing, the fact that three players and some support staff caught the virus highlights the risks of athletes from different countries being in close proximity to each other.

“I want to make sure anyone who has been in contact with me during the last few days gets tested,” Coric, ranked No.33 in the world, said on Twitter. “I am really sorry for any harm I might have caused. I’m feeling well and don’t have any symptoms.”