He World Team Tennis (WTT), a mixed professional tennis league played since 1973 in the United States under a team format with active or retired players, begins its three-week regular season on Sunday as the world of professional tennis progresses during the outbreak of Covid-19 coronavirus.
The reigning champion, Springfield Lasers, is facing Orlando Storms in the inaugural duel at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia, where all the matches will be held under strict security protocols such as Covid-19 tests and temperature controls.
The Belgian Kim Clijsters, with four Grand Slam titles on his record and recently returned to the slopes after a withdrawal, competes with the New York Empire, who seek redemption after losing the final against the Lasers last season, while the 2017 US Open champion and finalist at Roland Garros 2018 Sloane Stephens leads the new Chicago Smash team.
Up to 500 fans will be allowed to watch the games at one time at the 2,500-seat Greenbrier stadium, making it one of the few sporting events in North America that welcomes spectators in the Covid-19 era .
Frances Tiafoe, the 22-year-old American who reached the quarterfinals at the 2019 Australian Open, was forced to drop out of the WTT earlier this month after testing positive for Covid-19.
The tournament takes place a few weeks after the Adria Tour had to be canceled after its second stage in Croatia due to numerous coronavirus positives among the participants, including Novak Djokovic, the number one in the world and one of its organizers.
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