Image via usopen.org //
Should’ve never been scrapped in the first place…
After copping mad flack from players and notable figures across the world, the USTA (US Tennis Association) has reversed its initial decision to exclude wheelchair tennis from this year’s US Open. Now, there will be men’s and women’s singles & doubles as week as quad singles & doubles, set to take place at Flushing Meadows in New York from September 10 – 13.
The change comes after numerous athletes criticised the USTA’s decision to drop wheelchair, junior and mixed doubles competitions in order to safely hold the competition during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aussie hero Dylan Alcott has definitely led the charge against the decision, and it’s fair to say that without his speaking out the USTA might not have even reversed their decision.
Taking to social media, Alcott slammed the USTA and perfectly summed up why they were being discriminatory against wheelchair athletes, saying “I thought I did enough to qualify — 2x champion, number 1 in the world. But unfortunately I missed the only thing that mattered, being able to walk. Disgusting discrimination.”
It’s definitely clear that without Aclott’s standing up, the USTA wouldn’t have reversed their decision so quickly. Now, the Victorian world number one will be able to attempt to win a second US Open quad singles title, and no doubt the whole country is behind him.
Alcott is such a boss that even the USTA admitted they should’ve consulted wheelchair athletes before making the controversial move, which just goes to show how much respect the sporting world has for the 29-year-old. Shoutout to Dylan for making it all happen, you’re a straight up legend mate.
The US Open will host the Wheelchair Tennis Competition Sept. 10-13 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. pic.twitter.com/QAwwvp8PfA
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) June 24, 2020
