7 US Open players put in 'bubble in the bubble': Source

As U.S. Open got underway amid pandemic Monday, seven players were put in what one described as a “bubble in bubble” because y were in contact with Beit Paire, Frenchman dropped from tournament after testing positive for coronavirus, a person with kwledge of situation told Associated Press.

seven players were t identified to AP by person, who spoke on condition of anymity because U.S. Tennis Association has t anunced names of anyone involved.

But one, 30th-seeded Kristina Mladevic of France, ackwledged after her first-round victory on Day 1 at Grand Slam tournament that her movements were restricted because she spent time with Paire.

Mladevic said she practiced with Paire for about an hour and spent 30-40 minutes playing cards with him and ors in lobby of a hotel being used by USTA for what it has called a “controlled environment.”

“I am basically in a new ‘bubble in bubble,’ so re’s t very much I’m allowed to do, which makes it tough for me to compete and mentally be kind of fresh and ready,” said Mladevic, who doubled over and let out a loud yell after beating Hailey Baptiste of United States 7-5, 6-2.

Asked to describe what she can and cant do, Mladevic chuckled.

“Let’s make it simple: I’m allowed to play my match,” she said. “Literally, t allowed to do anything else.”

She and or six players potentially exposed to virus because of contact with Paire w must be tested daily for COVID-19, instead of every four days.

Mladevic said she can spend time with her bror but “ one else,” and has been banned from working out at gym and “any or facilities that have been put in place for players.”

“It’s pretty tough for me to accept that ... because it’s t like I’m part of (Paire’s) entour,” Mladevic said.

Paire is one of two people to have tested positive so far and only player.

It was a jarring way for her to try to compete, she said -- and a reminder, as if re weren’t already so many ors, of challenges of attempting to st a major international sports event se days. Monday’s matches gave a taste of what this U.S. Open will be like: mostly empty, mostly quiet courts with fans and only handfuls of people present.

re were about 15 people in seats at 14,000-capacity Louis Armstrong Stadium for start of 2016 U.S. Open champion Angelique Kerber’s 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ajla Tomljavic.

When Kerber broke to take first game, one person -- her coach -- clapped.

re were seven people in Court 11′s bleachers -- six after one left in middle of seventh game -- for . 27 Borna Coric’s 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 win over Pablo Andujar, whose complaint to chair umpire Fergus Murphy about serve-clock manment were easily audible.

Andujar: “In my opinion, it’s too fast. ... Can you please give a little bit more (time)?”

Murphy: “.”

Andujar: “?”

And or than some fake, piped-in crowd ise and loud music blaring on changeovers, re was almost sound at all in caverus Arthur Ashe Stadium for its first match of 2020 tournament, . 1-seeded Karolina Pliskova’s 6-4, 6-0 victory over Anhelina Kalinina.

Said Pliskova: “I was like, ‘Should I cheer myself?’”

Im credits: AP