Two male tennis players, both ranked inside the world’s top 40 have tested positive for COVID-19, after playing each other at a tournament hosted by world number 1 Novak Djokovic.
And it’s posed questions for the sports return.
Croatia’s Borna Coric played Gregor Dimitrov at the Adria Tour exhibition tournament at the weekend, and has now said on Monday (June 22) he has been infected.
Bulgarian Dimitrov had already announced his positive test a day earlier.
The final match of the event in the Croatian coastal resort of Zadar, which was to feature Dimitrov against Djokovic was cancelled as a result.
Djordje Djokovic is younger brother of Novak and also the tournament’s organiser.
When asked about the situation on Sunday, he said; “We regret it very much”, going on to say they’d complied with all the measured proscribed and that they did not know if Dimitrov was infected before playing.
Coric, who’d lost his match to Dimitrov, revealed on Twitter that he had tested positive for the virus.
“I want to make sure anyone who has been in contact with me during the last few days get tested,”
“I am really sorry for any harm I might have caused. I’m feeling well and don’t have any symptoms.”
With international tennis suspended Novak Djokovic organised the games as a charity event to help players keep their fitness.
Social distancing measures were deemed not necessary to enforce, leading to thousands of fans packing the stands during the opening leg in Belgrade, players were allowed to embrace at the net and later even seen dancing in clubs.
