USTA Cancels September Pro Circuit Tournaments and National Level 3 Junior Events; ITA's Plans for Fall Tennis Don't Include All-American Championships; Ferro Out of US Open, Liu Receives Wild Card

The USTA announced today that the five ITF World Tennis Tour Pro Circuit events scheduled for September in the United States have been canceled.

USTA STATEMENT ON PRO CIRCUIT EVENT CANCELLATIONS

Due to the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19, the USTA has cancelled all ITF World Tennis Tour and ATP Challenger events taking place in the U.S. in September. This decision was made to ensure the health and safety of all those involved with these events. Although detailed health and safety protocols had been planned, without the creation of a controlled environment that includes a comprehensive and contained lodging, transportation, food and beverage, and medical testing program in place, as will be the case for the Western & Southern Open and US Open, proper risk mitigation would not be possible – and in the case of these events, this type of environment would logistically and financially be difficult to create.

The events include:

Week of Sept. 14

Cary, N.C. – ATP Challenger 80

Champaign, Ill. – M15

Week of Sept. 21

Columbus, Ohio – ATP Challenger 80

Fayetteville, Ark. – M15

Lubbock, Texas – W15

The USTA also confirmed that the National Level 3 junior events scheduled for September 12-14 at 15 sites across the country have been canceled.

Due to the situation surrounding COVID-19, the USTA has canceled the September National Level 3 events. The decision to cancel was made to ensure the health and safety of all those involved as the interstate travel required for these tournaments carries an increased risk. In addition, the different regulations, restrictions and quarantine periods, dependent upon the localities involved, both at the site of the event and in the participants’ home states were considered. 

More information regarding the USTA National Junior Tournament Schedule as well as an update on local play opportunities is forthcoming.

The news from Division I college tennis is a bit more positive. Although the ITA announced that its All-American Championships will not be held in October due to the American Athletic Conference's cancellation of fall sports, other fall competition is planned. The All-Americans, one of three collegiate majors and the first of two held in the fall, is hosted by Tulsa, which is an AAC conference member.

The Oracle Masters, which is not a considered a major, but has also been played in the fall for the past several years, is continuing, but is changing to a competition resembling the recently completed ITA National Summer Championships, which featured junior players, college players and professional players as competitors:

The Oracle ITA Masters will be changed from the traditional format that has in recent years selected players based upon conference representation to an open, prize-money event for both genders with plans to feature top American juniors, top college players, and American professionals. Additional details concerning the location and selection process will be forthcoming.

The ITA closes its schedule update with word that information on Division II, Division III, NAIA and JUCO Regionals and the ITA Cup, the fall championships for those divisions next Wednesday. Information on the ITA National Fall Championships, the other fall major for Division I players, is promised "at a later date."

The list of WTA Top 100 women withdrawing from the US Open gets longer nearly every day, with word coming today that Palermo champion Fiona Ferro of France will not be playing in New York. That moves Caroline Dolehide, ranked 138, into the main draw, and frees up Dolehide's wild card. That will go to 20-year-old Claire Liu, who is currently ranked 236. The next wild card recipient that could get in with additional withdrawals is Usue Arconada, who is now five spots out of the main draw.  The updated women's US open entry list is here.