Want private US Open housing? It’s on you to cover 24-hour security

The entry lists are out for the upcoming two-tournament tennis bubble in New York. Some players, such as Grand Slam champions Rafael Nadal, Ashleigh Barty and Stan Wawrinka, have opted not to make the trip. Preparations are ongoing to make the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as safe as possible for competitors hoping to take part. In a time filled with so many unknowns, The Clash of feelings and emotions leave players to ponder: “Should I stay or should I go?”

On Tuesday, those entered to play the US Open—which directly follows Cincinnati’s relocated Western & Southern Open at Flushing Meadows—received an extensive update from the USTA outlining every rule, restriction and consequence it will require in order to successfully attempt to pull off three weeks of competition. Last week, 2012 men’s champion Andy Murray told British press at the Battle of the Brits Team Tennis event, “I think the repercussions should be quite serious,” for any player not adhering to the protocols in place.

From what was first reported by Christopher Clarey of the New York Times, it’s clear the USTA intends to uphold impactful measures and punishments—understandable for an organization that confirmed Wednesday its total prize money commitment for players at this year's event represents nearly 95 percent of its record 2019 purse.

One key area gaining clarity is lodging. It was previously announced that players would be allocated two rooms at an official tournament hotel. Private residences remain an option, but any player pursuing this alternative will be responsible for covering the cost of 24-hour security. This arrangement must enable the USTA to maintain a watchful eye, and anyone not part of the competitor’s approved group of COVID-19 tested members is prohibited from staying or visiting.

Any player exiting the bubble without written consent from the event’s chief medical officer or Stacey Allaster, who this year became the first woman appointed as US Open tournament director, will be withdrawn from competing and fined. Entourage supporters leaving without permission, including coaches, must depart their accommodations within 24 hours and will see their tournament access revoked, for the rest of the 2020 edition plus the 2021 tournament.

When players arrive on site, locker rooms will be limited to 30 at a time. As Allaster previously alluded to in June, organizers are converting spaces generally occupied by fans into functional areas participants can use for training or relaxing. Just one accredited team member can accompany players to areas such as the locker room or player dining, with each entrant having the authority to credential a maximum of three people.

AP Photos

International arrivals will be exempt from any additional quarantine requirements imposed by the state of New York, after USTA worked with The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to granted 212(f) player waivers to all players and their support personnel whose names were submitted by the ATP and WTA to travel to the U.S. beginning on August 1st. This type of quarantine exclusion is not guaranteed, as of yet, for players flying back to Europe to partake in the clay-court season, which took a hit Tuesday when Madrid was officially canceled. Rome, scheduled to begin September 20, is in discussions to potentially increase it's men field from 64 to 96 players, the Associated Pressdisclosed Wednesday.

"Hopefully before we leave, the players will have the assurances that, when they come back from America, they won’t have to quarantine for two weeks," Murray said. "If that is the case, and if you do well in the US Open, you can’t just arrive on the Sunday before the French Open starts on the Monday. That’s not going to work."

Any competitor testing positive for coronavirus during the US Open will automatically be pulled from the draw and forced to self-isolate for 10 days, and, should a player share a hotel room with a guest testing positive, the player will also be withdrawn from the tournament.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who was undefeated in 2020 before the tours shut down on March 8, "still hasn't made a decision," on playing the US Open, tweeted Serbian journalist Sasa Ozmo. The Sport Klub writer added Djokovic would make his determination in the next few days, though there was no reference on whether Cincinnati was included in that. Should Djokovic turn up, it would mark his first appearance since contracting COVID-19, along with three other active players, during the Adria Tour.

A title in New York would bring Djokovic to within two majors of Roger Federer's all-time men's record of 20, and one of Nadal. With Swiss out injured and Nadal sharing he "would rather not travel right now", the US Open—if played—would mark the first time neither of the career Grand Slam holders featured in a major main draw since the 1999 US Open.

In the men's and women's singles draws, players will see a slight increase in first-round compensation year-over-year, raised from $58,000 to $61,000. Singles champions will receive $3,000,000, with finalists taking home $1,500,000. As a result of not staging qualifying and cutting doubles fields in half, USTA revealed it would provide $6.6 million in grants and subsidies in addition to the $1 million it contributed to the Djokovic-led Player Relief Fund program.