Martina Navratilova thinks that titles of the 2020 US Open champions will not have less value, even though such a large number of players will be skipping the tournament because of the coronavirus pandemic.
There’s been a discussion in the tennis community that the 2020 US Open winners should have an asterisk placed next to their titles, but even though six of the Top 10 WTA players will not compete at Flushing Meadows, the tennis legend does not believe that this year’s titles should be underrated:
I won’t view the winners differently, there won’t be an asterisk. We know in the long term that 2020 is different but everybody is in the same situation and we will see who makes the most of it.
Serena Williams has also recently expressed her opinion on this topic, saying:
It still has to be tennis that’s played, asterisks or not. I think this whole year deserves an asterisk, because it’s such a special year, history we have never been through in this world…. I think we are living a future history lesson.
The will definitely be an asterisk. The tournament will be a joke, as the “Cincy” tourney already is.
Despite that, if Serena wins, you can bet her fawning media sycophants will pronounce it the greatest achievement in the entire history of sport, perhaps of civilization altogether.
I’m inclined to agree with Martina. In every tournament the winner is partly dependent on the luck of the draw, and who’s in form and who isn’t, and who’s injured and who isn’t. Other times there have been “surprise” winners like Schiavone and Bartoli and Penetta, and to some extent those wins were dependent on these factors happening to fall the right way. But to make it through seven matches is an achievement at any time, and whoever does that deserves the trophy. And anyway, that $3 million (or whatever it is) speaks for itself.
Dennis, from what we’ve since at “Cincy”, it’s hard to imagine that Serena will be able to win her 24th Slam in New York. I don’t think the tournament will be a joke, as Cincy isn’t either. These are strange times in the world, and consequently in the tennis world, but tournaments are going on quite well and the winners are real winners.
CLT, I agree. These are just specific circumstances, but part of every success is also how much luck you have and how much things go your way.