World News – CA – As Paire wins first match in Paris, Roland Garros changes testing protocol

The tournament now takes a player or team member’s medical history into account before deciding to remove them from the tournament if they have tested positive for coronavirus

Roland Garros has changed its coronavirus testing protocols, L’Equipe confirms, and will now take a player or team member’s medical history into account before deciding to remove them from the tournament. ‘they tested positive for the coronavirus

The change comes following the controversial withdrawal of two players from the event: Fernando Verdasco, who said he had previously contracted the virus; and Damir Dzumhur, whose coach Petar Popovic tested positive and said he also had the virus in the past

Both have publicly criticized the tournament which, unlike other tennis events, did not look at the medical history But now Roland Garros claims to have changed position, with the agreement of local authorities

« The modifications of the ARS (Regional Health Agency) now consist in accepting non-infectivity in the post-illness, if it is documented by a medical file and validated by medical experts, which is good for the players, « An anonymous FFT official told L’Equipe » Unfortunately, we only got this decision on Friday evening « 

Verdasco had also announced his forced withdrawal from the tournament that day, saying « I explained my story », but he was not allowed to take another test as he requested. He also said he had been tested in previous events and again on his return to Spain, and those tests did not come back positive.

Verdasco protested again since the change in protocol, stating that while other players would now be allowed to play, the tournament took no action to correct the error and I am simply excluded from the draw « 

Although Verdasco’s statement said the tournament would now « retest those who tested positive », the tournament said this was not correct – they would only consider records of previous infection

« We do not do a second test when it is positive », said the head of the FFT « But each sample is subjected to two assessment methods and declared positive if both are positive »

First seed Novak Djokovic, along with Benoit Paire, Borna Coric and Grigor Dimitrov, are among the players competing at Roland Garros who previously announced they had coronavirus, with Paire being withdrawn from the US Open players have been withdrawn from Roland Garros qualifications

Pair was cleared to compete in Hamburg days before Roland Garros despite testing positive twice at the event He was tested again at Roland Garros and was not positive, and was cleared to compete He won his first round match against SoonWoo Kwon, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4

« It was not easy, the situation after New York », said Paire after the match « I stayed 10 days in my room Then I went to Rome to play my tournament, but I was not quite ready to play So it was not easy against Jannik [Sinner, who beat Paire 6-2, 6-1] Then I went to Hamburg and again tested positive so I had to stay in my room only I could only leave my room to train and play my game for an hour [Pair would retire in their game against Casper Ruud, 6-4, 2-0]

« The only thing I wanted was to go home so I couldn’t because we had to come here for the test So honestly now I’m tired I’m physically tired I’m mentally tired »

Pair then detailed their test history: « Positive in New York twice, then six times in New York negative Then Paris negative Then I went to Rome, negative three times I arrived in Hamburg, the first was positive , the second was positive, and the third was negative, and a negative here in Paris « 

« I really don’t care about the system, what is going on, » he said « The only thing I know is sometimes positive, sometimes negative If I’m sure I’m going home I’ll be happy to come home a little at home

« Honestly now I don’t think about the importance of the test I just think, okay if you can play, you play Otherwise you come home and you see your dog, your family, and you will be happy « 

Benoît Paire, Tennis, Roland-Garros, Coronavirus