While we’re waiting for the US Open to make the final decision in June as to whether or how the Grand Slam would be played in the year of the coronavirus pandemic, the latest news from Michael Dowse, executive director of the United States Tennis Association, suggests that the tournament might be moved to Indian Wells and could take place in November.
On April 30th, the USTA released a statement that they still planned to go ahead with the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, with fans and on the originally scheduled dates. However, in the most recent telephone interview for Inside Tennis, Dawse suggested that the only Grand Slam that has been played every year since being founded in 1881 could possibly be moved to Indian Wells this season, as shelter-in-place orders could soon be lifted in California and as there is a 16,000-seat stadium at the BNP Paribas Open. Hosting it as late as November was also a possibility.
Nothing is off the table when it comes to the 2020 US Open. There is also a possibility to stage the event in NYC, with fewer fans or virtually none at all, even though in last month’s statement Dawse said that having the tournament without spectators was highly unlikely.
What’s certain is that the USTA will do everything possible to not skip this year, of course, with the health, safety and well-being of staff, fans, ticket holders, players and volunteers remaining top priority.
