ATP Tour Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi criticized Novak Djokovic for holding the Adria Tour in Belgrade and Zadar without respecting the strict social distancing rules.
During the exhibition tournament players hugged at the net, played football and basketball matches and organised nights out in Belgrade. Pictures of players dancing can be watched on social media. Nobody respected social distancing rules. Players from different countries were close to each other during the press conference.
There is a concern for players when players resume the ATP and the WTA Tours next August after five months.
Gaudenzi compared Djokovic to a stubborn villain.
“It’s a bit like teaching your kids to always ride a bycicle with a helmet. First they say no. Only when they fall off their bikes, they wear the helmet. It is different from the picture. The tennis players that Djokovic had gathered around on his show trip whistled for their role model function, security and thus endangered many. We have to be careful because we have also to be conscious that even with extreme measures, you could actually end up having some players testing positive”, said Gaudenzi.
