The USTA is following a strict protocol to keep everyone safe from the COVID-19 virus. Recently Guido Pella and Hugo Dellien were removed from the Western and Southern Open. According to sources they were in close proximity with a  non-playing staff who tested positive for COVID-19. Even though these two players tested negative, yet they were rusticated from the tournament. Canadian Denis Shapovalov stood by them and called the incident “just unacceptable”.

“Yeah, I think it’s — honestly, it’s horrible. I mean, I was one of the first people to kind of stand up and be, like, Listen, we’ve got to do something about it. We have to stand up because it’s just unacceptable. It could happen to any player”, said Shapovalov.

Shapovalov took the opportunity to throw this question to the officials. He also mentions cases of false-positive indications in the COVID-19 testing.

“There is like, what, a 7% chance that it could be a false positive and they don’t even try to retest. Hugo and Pella, they are both testing negative constantly. So why aren’t you guys letting them play”, he states.

Denis Shapovalov shows he’s in form

Following a straight-set win against Croatian Marin Cilic, Shapovalov took to the press to address the situation with Pella and Dellien. Shapovalov understands the situation can happen with any player right now. Emphasizing on the situation of the players, Shapovalov called for unity. He pressed that any player can face this kind of injustice and other players should stand by them.

Shapovalov would be facing Jan- Lennard Struff of Germany in the Round of 32. The win against Marin Cilic was easy for him. However, his journey won’t be smooth ahead. Players such as Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and Daniil Medvedev are in the tournament. To clinch the tournament, Shapovalov has to keep up the game he had with Cilic.

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