The tennis tour is in lockdown for an indefinite period and the long layoff will certainly extend for many more months until tennis returns. There is still a possibility of playing tennis behind closed doors in the short run. However, Simona Halep and Petra Kvitova opposed the idea of playing the sport without fans.
Earlier, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic discussed playing tennis in front of empty stadiums. The two Goliaths of the sport were open to the idea of playing behind closed doors. This will certainly help the lower-ranked players, who depend upon the weekly earnings to make their ends meet.
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“Tennis minus fans doesn’t work” – Simona Halep
On the contrary, Halep and Kvitova believe that the crowd is too important in an individual sport. Halep explained that tennis would be a “different sport” without fans and she doesn’t want to play in front of empty stands.
“Tennis minus fans doesn’t work… we enjoy the big stages so much because of the incredible passion the fans bring. Otherwise, tennis would be a different sport,” Halep told DPA International.
Agreeing to her fellow mate, Kvitova said: “I think the fans are too important. It’s an individual sport, that’s why the fans have such an impact for us.”
Also Read: “It Came From The Heart” – Simona Halep Donates For Coronavirus Victims
Many sporting leagues around the world are preparing to play in front of empty stadiums for several weeks, taking all the health and safety precautions for the athletes. This will help these leagues to avoid losing a considerable amount of money from the broadcasters.
However, tennis is a bit different than other sports. The huge audience which attracts a lot of sponsors is the main source of income for the tennis organizers. Hence, playing behind closed doors will not be an easy decision for the organizers.
