Argentinian tennis great Gabriela Sabatini feels the professional tennis circuit is unlikely to return in 2020 due to the global Covid-19 pandemic that has forced almost all sporting events across the world to come to a halt.
“In the coming months I think it will be difficult to hold any sporting event,” Sabatini told the Subidos a la Red podcast, published on Sunday.
“I have my doubts that something can be done this year in tennis,” she added.
The professional tennis season was suspended in mid-March after recommendations from World Health Organisation and the WTA and ATP have announced that the suspension will now extend to June 7. Wimbledon has been cancelled while the French Open has been postponed to August.
“It’s difficult to think about the future and what may happen because precisely what you have to try is to avoid a lot of people coming together and in all these events that happens,” Sabatini said.
“This is a bit desperate. You don’t know how or when it will end and even though we always like to think about the future, now we cannot do that. The good thing is that we are all facing the same situation because it is global, so the important thing now is to stay at home and keep healthy,” she added.
The 49-year-old, who retired in 1996 after a career that included the 1990 US Open title and 11 Grand Slam singles semi-final appearances also reached a career-high ranking of No 3 in February 1989.
