New Zealand’s top doubles tennis player says Benoit Paire’s positive Covid-19 test has left everyone “a little bit more on edge” on the eve of the US Open.
The Frenchman tested positive despite being inside the Flushing Meadows bubble and has been withdrawn from the tournament.
Speaking from his hotel room in the bubble, Kiwi doubles hope Michael Venus told 1 NEWS “everyone was definitely talking about it a little bit more today”.
“There’s been a week or 10 days and everyone’s testing negative and things are just moving along as normal, then all of a sudden this happens."
He says it’s left people wondering how close they may have been to him, or to someone he was in contact with.
“I’ve seen Benoit but I haven’t been in close contact with him, thankfully,” Venus added.
The positive test adds strain to an already troubled tournament.
Being held in the one-time epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic, numerous top players have withdrawn, including both defending champions.
Venus says the players get tested every four days in the bubble, and are subject to temperature checks before boarding the bus from the hotel to the practice courts.
They also have a sticker on their accreditation passes, which is scanned when they go anywhere, logging their movements for contact tracing.
Venus says he and his family, who have stayed back in New Zealand, are just trying to make the best of the situation.
“It’s definitely a transition, especially talking on Facetime with the little one. She likes to press the red button a lot,” a laughing Venus said.
On the court, the doubles world number 11 is hoping his combination with Australian John Peers hasn’t suffered too much as a result of the break in tennis.
“Everyone’s in the same situation, so you just have to trust your game.
“We put a lot of work in on the practice court, especially the last 10 days together, so hopefully we see some of that come to fruition.”
He will also be among dozens of players hoping Paire’s positive Covid-19 result is a one-off, so the tournament can continue without any more off-court scares.
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