By Erik Gudris
Spain’s Fernando Verdasco announced he plans to sue Roland Garros tournament organizers after he was forced to withdraw from the event due to a positive coronavirus test.
Verdasco, currently ranked No. 59 in the world, believes the test was inaccurate. He requested another test from organizers but was denied. Verdasco later tested negative after he had to withdraw.
Djokovic: No Traces of New York
According to Reuters, Verdasco is now seeking legal action.
“Yes I want to sue,” Verdasco told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. “No one can believe that a tournament such as Roland Garros can do do this. It cannot be like this.”
“This is not about money. It’s about the damage that has been done to me personally and professionally,” Verdasco added.
Before the tournament qualifying rounds started, Bosnia’s Damir Džumhur was forced to withdraw from the event after his coach Peter Popovic tested positive. Popovic later tested negative. Džumhur then announced that he also planned to sue the event unless they could come to a resolution.
After both Džumhur and Verdasco were disqualified, tournament organizers announced that if a player could provide accurate documentation from health experts that they were indeed negative, then they would not be withdrawn from the event.
Verdasco feels the rule change only added more insult to him.
“The rights of the players count for nothing,” Verdasco said. “You can imagine my anger, it’s incredible, they showed a huge lack of respect to the player who has spent the last 16 years competing at Roland Garros. And then the next day, after I have been left out of the draw, they change the rules and now you can do a second test. That was the final straw.”
The 36-year-old Verdasco has reached the fourth round of Roland-Garros seven times.