Tag Archives: tennis

Agence France-Presse reports: On Saturday Tennis Australia made it official that unvaccinated players will not be allowed to compete in January’s grand slam, posing some awkward questions for Novak Djokovic. The Serbian is a noted anti-vaxxer and is yet to reveal publicly whether he is vaccinated against Covid-19. Asked about the Australian Open’s vaccine mandate, Djokovic said: “We’ll see. We’ll …

ESPN reports: US Open spectators now must show proof of at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to attend matches, a change made less than 72 hours before the tennis tournament starts. The US Tennis Association announced Friday that the New York City mayor’s office decided to require proof of vaccination to go into Arthur Ashe Stadium, the main …

CBS New York reports: Masks will not be required when the US Open tennis tournament gets underway next week in Flushing Meadows, Queens. Fans won’t need to mask up or show proof of vaccination to attend. “The goal is not to prevent all cases of COVID. The goal, really, is to be certain that we don’t have an outbreak of …

The Associated Press reports: The Australian Open will be allowed to continue but without crowds after the Victoria state government imposed a snap, five-day lockdown starting Saturday in response to a COVID-19 outbreak at a quarantine hotel. Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews on Friday announced a state-wide lockdown starting a minute before midnight local time, imposing restrictions that prevent residents from …

Yahoo Sports reports: Novak Djokovic has undergone COVID-19 testing after a Croatian charity tennis tournament he organized resulted in three positive cases, drawing backlash from the tennis world. Djokovic, a vaccine skeptic, initially declined testing in Croatia after the tournament was canceled on Sunday before his media team announced Monday that he would undergo testing upon flying home to Serbia. …

EPSN reports: American doubles star Mike Bryan was fined $10,000 on Sunday for making a shooting gesture with his racket, aimed at a linesperson, during a US Open match at Flushing Meadows on Saturday night. Bryan turned his racket upside down and held it as if he was holding a gun, in the direction of the official who had made …

Business Insider reports: After being knocked out from the Australian Open in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, American breakout tennis star Tennys Sandgren blasted the media for its coverage of him in recent days. Sandgren, 26, made a surprise run through the Australian Open, but faced scrutiny over past Twitter use that seemed to support the alt-right movement. Previous tweets and …

The West Australian reports: Margaret Court says she is inclined to end her 50-year association with the Liberals over same-sex marriage, believing the major parties are presiding over the nation’s moral decline. The tennis legend and pastor, who is married to former WA Liberal president Barry Court, urged politicians who were personally opposed to same-sex marriage to follow their conscience …

The West Australian reports: Tennis legend Margaret Court has returned serve to a Perth tennis club that turfed her out as a patron this week, saying she is being silenced for her views on same-sex marriage. Despite being dumped by Cottesloe Tennis Club, Mrs Court remained defiant yesterday, accusing the LGBTQI community of wanting to “destroy marriage”. “Ian Thorpe can …

Australia’s News Corp outlet reports: In the skit released on Saturday night in Paris, McEnroe said Court telling fans that “tennis is full of lesbians” prompted three thoughts to him. “This is true and who gives a f**k? This is not true and who should give a f**k? This is half true and should we really give a f**k?”, he …

The BBC reports: Tennis great Margaret Court believes there is a “conspiracy” from the “US gay lobby” to strip her name from one of the Australian Open stadiums. The 74-year-old has been criticised for her beliefs on same-sex marriage, with 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova calling for the Margaret Court Arena to be renamed. “They have a lot of …

This morning the Australian press published an open letter from Martina Navratilova to the arena named for fellow tennis legend and raging homophobe Margaret Court. From the Sydney Morning Herald: Dear Margaret Court Arena, Sporting venues named for athletes, or any place, really, named for whoever, are so named for one reason. That reason is their whole body of work. …

Tennis.com reports: Former tennis great and now Christian pastor Margaret Court says she will stop using Qantas “where possible” in protest over the Australian airline’s promotion of same-sex marriage. “I am disappointed that Qantas has become an active promoter for same-sex marriage,” Perth resident Court said in the letter published in The West Australian newspaper. “I believe in marriage as …

A member of France’s anti-gay marriage group HOMMEN rushed the court waving an ignited smoke torch during the finals match of today’s French Open. CBS News reports: Several protesters, upset by recent legislation in France allowing for same-sex marriages, disrupted the French Open tennis final on Sunday between Rafael Nadal and fellow Spaniard David Ferrer. Two protesters appeared shirtless in …

“Yesterday was an incredible day for athletes everywhere. Jason Collin’s courage and leadership in coming out reminds me of how important it is for an athlete to be able to be true to him or herself. As an Athlete Ally, I want to support every athlete to feel comfortable and confident being themselves and to make sure that all people …