The organizers of the US Open are looking for every possible solution to hold the event this year in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Hence, there is a possibility of organizing the event behind closed doors. However, Former US Open champion Marin Cilic feels that the event will not have that ‘weight’ without any audience.

Cilic explained that tennis is a bit different than other sports like football and the NBA. Tennis requires a lot of travel week after week and the travel bans due to the coronavirus pandemic make it difficult for the season to resume.

“It wouldn’t be the best scenario” – Marin Cilic

Cilic also explained that a crowd-free US Open would devalue the accomplishment of the champion. Moreover, the players will feel like playing practice matches.

“I just feel that it’s going to more or less feel like practice matches. It’s always going to be in the years to come, ‘oh, you know that guy won a U.S. Open in 2020 without fans’. I don’t think it’s going to have that weight. It wouldn’t be the best scenario,” Cilic said in an interview from Croatia.

“Tennis season is slightly different than football and the NBA. They have seasons to finish off, and the next season is depending on this season as well. For tennis, if we start in December or in January, it’s not going to change too much,” he added.

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Cilic also explained that there won’t be any tournaments without fans. He explicated that the whole tour is revolving a lot on sponsors and people coming to the tournaments. Sponsors are investing money because people are coming to watch tennis and see the players.

The tennis season came to a halt in March due to the outbreak of coronavirus. The shutdown will continue for an uncertain period with many countries in lockdown and air travel bans in place. Holding a Grand Slam behind the closed doors will certainly not a feasible option. However, something is better than nothing and the fans all around the world are eagerly waiting to watch live tennis soon.