Verdasco ‘outrage’ at Roland Garros test procedures

Fernando Verdasco has questioned the French Open’s COVID-19 testing protocols after having to withdraw from the tournament because of a positive result – which he believes was false.

Verdasco, 36, pulled out of the Grand Slam on Thursday, alongside Milos Raonic and Belinda Bencic.

The world No.58 criticised the French Open’s procedures after he was denied a re-test, adding he had returned a negative result on several occasions before he arrived in Paris, including at the Italian Open in Rome.

“In August, I passed the COVID-19 asymptomatically,” he wrote on Twitter.

“Since then I have done multiple PCR tests, with negative results… I tested negative again a few days ago in the test I took before going to Hamburg.

“My team and family travelled to Paris on Tuesday… they all tested negative except me. I explained my history and situation to try to request another test.

“I want to communicate my total frustration and outrage with the organisation of Roland Garros for taking away my right to participate even without giving me the opportunity to take another test with a new sample to confirm that the result of the first could be an error,” he said.