Fernando Verdasco is furious with the organization of Roland Garros. The Spaniard is not allowed to participate in the Grand Slam tournament in Paris, because he tested positive for the corona virus on arrival in the French capital earlier this week.
According to Verdasco, the results of his test are not correct. The number 58 in the world had himself checked twice more on his own initiative and that resulted in a negative result each time.
“I am very frustrated and indignant,” Verdasco writes in a letter statement on Twitter. “The Roland Garros organization has denied me the right to participate in this important tournament without giving me a chance to show with a second test that the result of the first test could be wrong.”
Verdasco became infected with the coronavirus last month, but he showed no symptoms. After spending several days in isolation, he returned to the tennis court after two negative tests.
In recent weeks, the former number seven in the world also tested negative at the tournaments in Rome and Hamburg. In Paris he got a positive result again, after which the organization of Roland Garros immediately put him out of the tournament.
Dzumhur was also kicked out of the tournament
Verdasco never got further than the fourth round at Roland Garros. The 36-year-old Madrid did make it to the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2009 and he has seven ATP titles on his honors list.
Earlier this week, Bosnian Damir Dzumhur was also angry with the organization of Roland Garros. The global number 114 is not allowed to take action in Paris, because his coach was tested positive for the corona virus. However, a second test yielded a negative result.
The 124th edition of Roland Garros starts next Sunday and ends on October 11 with the men’s final. The tournament was originally scheduled for May and June, but was rescheduled due to the corona crisis. For the first time since 2009, no Dutch people are active in the men’s tournament. Kiki Bertens and Arantxa Rus come into action with the women.
– .
