Corona Daily 336: The French Connection

Benoit Paire, the controversial and therefore entertaining Frenchman, was seeded 17th in the 2020 US Open. Of course, winning the tournament was beyond him. But with many big names dropping out, perhaps he might make it to the quarters. Perhaps even semi-finals. He had been in a New York bubble since 18 August.

On 29 August, Paire received a call. He had tested positive. That he was asymptomatic didn’t matter. The strictest protocol was activated. For the next two weeks, he should not leave his room. His name was withdrawn.

The contact tracers’ interrogation lasted for more than two hours. Paire had won a few matches in shorter time.

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Kristina Mladenovic won her first match, and was hugely depressed. Contact tracers had established a list of seven players, five French and two Belgian, who had come in contact with Paire. As a special concession, they would be allowed to continue playing, but only after signing a new agreement.

Kristina had practiced once with Paire, but they were on the opposite sides of the court. That didn’t count. She had spent 30-40 minutes in the hotel lobby playing cards with a group of players, including Paire. Though all of them had worn masks, the 40 minutes of card-playing changed everything.

She would be tested every day from now on. Nobody was allowed in her room. Meals would be delivered to her room. Henceforth, she was responsible for changing the bedsheets and cleaning her room. Used towels and sheets should be dropped outside. She would leave her room at pre-determined time, and would be escorted. No using the elevator.  She must use the stairs along with the escort. Every day, on returning to the hotel, her credential (badge) will be confiscated. (Without it players can’t move inside the hotel).

On the ground, Kristina would no longer have access to locker rooms and dining areas. She would have a separate area for the warm up. The key to her isolation area will be with the tournament staff.

This was described as “a bubble inside a bubble”.

On Wednesday, 2 September, Kristina was leading 6-1, 5-1, 15-0 against Varvara Gracheva, a debutant Russian. It should have taken her another five minutes to finish the match. Instead she mentally collapsed. Her opponent saved four match points. Kristina couldn’t win a single game in the third set and lost the match.

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On Friday, 4 September, Adrian Mannarino was ready to go to the court, when the tour manager came to him and said the New York State didn’t approve of him playing. Mannarino was one of the seven players in the contact tracers’ list. He was already in a bubble inside another bubble. His opponent Alexander Zverev was told the match may or may not happen. New York City health authorities were ok with the match, but the New York State authorities had overruled them. Djokovic, on hearing this, tried to contact Cuomo, but couldn’t get through. Cuomo is a busy man.

After three hours’ toing-and-froing between New York City and New York State, finally the match happened. Like musicians, tennis players “tune” their rackets to suit the weather. Zverev’s rackets were strung with a higher tension for the afternoon heat. He had to readjust them for the evening. Zverev won against the Frenchman.

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Kristina Mladenovic has had 37 negative tests. “I have the impression we are prisoners or criminals.” She said. “For the slightest movement, we have to take permission. It’s abominable. The conditions are atrocious.” Kristina is the no. 1 seed in doubles. All other French players are knocked out. However, none of them will be allowed to leave the room or the country until 12 September.

Ravi