CHENNAI: Even if the ATP tour has resumed during the pandemic, events in Asia have been few and far in between. On August 9, the body’s chairman, via a media release on the ATP website said: “We have maintained a flexible approach to the calendar this year due to the constantly evolving nature of the pandemic,” he told them. “It’s extremely unfortunate to announce the cancellation of our Asia swing this season and we look forward to returning in 2022.” During that announcement, the ATP confirmed the cancellation of Shanghai (Masters), Zhuhai and Chengdu (250s).
Worryingly, this Asian stasis could spillover into next year as well, specifically from an Indian context. The Pune Open (another 250), which was formally cancelled for the year by ATP last week, already faces a fight to host it in its normal slot early next year.
They are in talks with IMG as well as ATP to decide on the fate of the 2022 event but before going forward, the ATP wants some kind of assurances with respect to quarantines and so on. The thing is visas for entering the country is still not as it was pre-pandemic. Even otherwise, the question marks persist as the organisers haven’t spoken to the foreign players about coming to Pune Open. “We can only do that (speak to players) once we finalise the date of the tournament,” an insider said.
Usually, the conversation between players and local organising committee begin around March or April before concrete agreements are reaching a week or so after Wimbledon. Even after taking a challenging year, a lot of dominoes will have to fall in place between now and September for the Pune Open to go ahead. This paper has also learnt that the option of postponing may not work. “It has to be held in February or it may not happen in 2022.” India hosted one ATP 250 event for 25 consecutive years from 1996. With 2021 ruled out, not hosting it in 2022 also could be a big blow to India’s players.
Likewise, the Challenger in Pune is also not a guaranteed starter. The city has held one Challenger — the second tier in the men’s game — per year since 2014 in October or November. It failed to do so in 2020. Even if the organisers are ready to host it, the Challenger may fall by the wayside because a second venue may not come forward to host another Challenger (ATP prefer it there are back to back Challengers in one country as it will help players). That’s even before you take into consideration the visa rules that’s still in place.