Cancel US Open: Leconte fears for player safety

Henri Leconte has called for the US Open to be cancelled if it cannot guarantee complete safety for all participants.

Frenchman Leconte claimed USTA officials were making too many compromises over the event, even though there will be strict social distancing rules in place and no fans will be permitted inside Flushing Meadows.

Leconte said he was not a fan of the plans.

“It (the US Open) is not possible, it must be cancelled,” he said.

“I think a lot of players are not going to go there. First for health reasons, the pandemic is far from over.

“And also because you cannot compete in a Grand Slam behind closed doors. I don’t even dare imagine the atmosphere it would have.

“We saw it with Patrick Mouratoglou’s UTS (Ultimate Tennis Showdown), watching a game from your screen does not have the same flavour.”

Leconte believes the French Open has done better job, with officials opting to allow fans in the Roland Garros but at a reduced capacity.

“The French Federation and Guy Forget (Tournament Director) had the courage to want to postpone the French Open,” he said.

“The playing conditions will obviously not be the same, but it is part of the game.”