Bubble tennis: The food is transported by a courier, the ice bath is checked and Plíšková does not rent it either

In London, it’s almost standard, the best tennis players rent a house near the Wimbledon courts, where they have both private and solid comfort, live with the whole team and have absolute peace during a grand slam event.

At a time when the fear of coronavirus infection is around the world and many athletes prefer to stay at home because of this, renting their own property before the tournament would be an ideal solution. But in New York, housing prices are exorbitant and big stars can’t afford them either.

The British Andy Murray described the price offers as astronomical and, like the Czech number one and the best player of the American tournament, Karolína Plíšková, thanked the hotel rooms.

“At the prices they offered us, I didn’t even think about renting a house,” said Plíšková. According to her, the conditions in the hotel are also solid.

Only the biggest “rich” people, such as the Serbian number one Novak Djokovic or the domestic legend Serena Williams, could afford to invest in their own housing.

But strict rules also apply to them. Forget about sitting in cafes and restaurants or shopping spree. Players leave the home only when they go to training or a match.

“It would be great to go to a good restaurant in Manhattan, but of course it’s not possible. Fortunately, Uber Eats works and they bring you practically anything to the hotel,” rejoices home tennis player John Isner.

The tennis players in Flushing Meadows have tennis players and their teams alone. The grandstands are empty and fans can only watch the duels of the preparatory tournament and the subsequent grand slam on television. Players must then follow strict hygiene rules.

“The worst thing for me is that we can’t use ice baths. With the regeneration, I have to wait until the hotel, which is not very close,” Murray lamented.

In order not to get bored, players have the opportunity to play minigolf between training sessions or use sunbeds in the relaxation zone and catch a little bronze. “I tried golf, but we have sunshine during training and matches,” explained the British Johanna Kontaová, why the beach chairs near the courts are usually empty.

However, the biggest intervention in everyday life at a tennis grand slam is the absence of fans, which players probably lack the most.

“I can’t imagine what it will look like in the abandoned Arthur Ash stadium. Even if you train there without spectators, there is such silence before the storm. I will miss them a lot, they are a source of energy for us. I hope the organizers will not put up on the seats. some substitutes for spectators, that would be extra strange, “wishes former world number one Viktoria Azarenková.

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