The Guardian reports that less than half of professional tennis players have been vaccinated, a worrying statistic for British player Andy Murray.
Murray is set to compete in this year’s US Open, the final grand slam event of the year, where he will face Stefanos Tsitsipas on Monday. Recently, the US Tennis Association (USTA) stated that only spectators who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed courtside. This raises concerns as athletes themselves may be among the most likely individuals to transmit or contract the virus.
Looking ahead, the director of the upcoming Australia Open, Craig Tiley, is planning for players to participate in a secure bubble for the first two weeks of the tournament next year, instead of going through a 14-day quarantine upon arrival like they did in the previous edition. While some tournaments have offered vaccination opportunities to players, the uptake has been low.
Murray emphasized the importance of vaccination, stating, “Ultimately, I guess the reason why all of us are getting vaccinated is to protect the broader community. As players traveling worldwide, we have a responsibility to safeguard everyone else as well.”
At present, vaccinated players at the US Open face fewer restrictions, including privileges like dining in restaurants and using public gym facilities.
