The US Open has sent an update to its health and safety protocols and highlighted the importance of maintaining a strict bubble throughout the Western and Southern Open and US Open.
Rules are strict for players that are choosing to rent their own lodging. Players must rent through the USTA and abide by a safety plan, which requires those players to pay all costs for 24-hour security which can be monitored by the USTA.
Players staying in private residences are not permitted to stay with or receive visits from anybody who is not a part of the officially approved entourage that is being tested for Covid-19.
Each player is allowed to come with three accredited guests/ team members, but only one of those guests/ team members will be permitted to accompany players on site at competition areas, locker rooms and player dining and lounges.
With regard to testing:
Players and their guests will be tested twice for the virus when they arrive, about 48 hours apart, and antibody tests will also be encouraged. According to the tournament, those who test positive for antibodies will be tested for the virus less frequently during the tournament.
Players who test positive during the tournament will be withdrawn automatically and isolated for 10 days. Players who test positive initially can still compete if they receive medical clearance after a mandatory isolation.
Requirements also apply to permitted guests:
“If a player is sharing a hotel room with a guest and that guest tests positive during the event, the player will be automatically withdrawn,” the rules state.
With regard to travel, additional quarantine will not be required for athletes and teams arriving from outside the U.S. But it remains unclear whether players will be able to avoid such circumstances when they return to Europe after the Open.
With Roland Garros coming two weeks after the US Open, this remains a major concern for players, and it is an item that the tournament is still working on with government officials.