THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
John Isner, US No 1, has become the first tennis player to propose the idea of relaxing Covid restrictions to allow participants to lodge in the usual private accommodation, instead of central London hotels for this summer’s Championships.
He says he would prefer for tennis to follow the PGA golf tour’s lead in allowing the participants more freedom, admitting that it has been a topic of discussion at the Miami Open which will end April 4.
John Isner is perhaps most well-known for having played the longest ever tennis match in history. At the 2010 Wimbledon Championships, in the first-round Men’s Singles match, John Isner who was at the time 23rd seed played the French qualifier Nicolas Mahut in a match which would eventually take 11 hours, 5 minutes of play over three days, breaking the previous longest match record of 6 hours, 33 minutes in the 2004 French Open Men’s singles.
It has become a tradition for competitors to rent private houses in the Wimbledon area, with Isner saying 'I think a lot of players, myself included, would much prefer to stay closer to the courts and rent a house, especially with my family also.
'As the situation seems to be getting better around the world, there are some questions about whether the bubble environment can be lessened a little bit.
'I would like to have the responsibility, in my opinion, fall on the players to be careful and take care of themselves. I think if you kind of have faith in your colleagues, I think that will help our mental state, and we'll be able to put forth a better product as well.
'From what I know right now, the PGA Tour doesn't have a bubble environment. Maybe it's not something you completely get rid of, but I guess you could lessen some of the restrictions we're under right now. I've probably played Wimbledon 12 times. I've never stayed at a hotel before.'
