Australian tennis stars Nick Kyrgios and Dylan Alcott have taken aim at the USTA, the US Open and the ATP after the re-scheduled dates for the 2020 US Open were announced on Wednesday.
The ATP, WTA and ITF confirmed the new tennis schedule for 2020 will re-commence with the Citi Open in Washington from August 14.
After the Western & Southern Open the following week, the US Open will then take place starting on August 31.
The decision to maintain the dates of the US Open comes after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed the event could go ahead, without spectators, even with the coronavirus pandemic ongoing in the United States.
MORE: Serena Williams confirms she will play US Open
Kyrgios and Alcott took to Twitter to vent their disappointment with the decision for two different reasons.
The world number 40, Kyrgios quote tweeted a tweet from Greg Rudeski, a former British tennis player, taking issue with the lack of consultation with current players.
"We all know the little risk you tried to take," Kyrgios said.
Haha we all know the little risk you tried to take 😂 https://t.co/kFoOA08jCv
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) June 17, 2020
He followed that up by quote tweeting a message from the ATP tour with the new dates and a message from ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.
Gaudenzi claimed it had been a 'collaborative effort' between the ATP and the tournament organisers, something Kyrgios was clearly not pleased with.
"Seriously, fk (sic) me," Kyrgios tweeted.
"How about you have a collaborative effort with us, potato."
Cheers mate, you’ve really looked after the players during this time. Seriously 🤦🏽♂️ fk me, how about you have a collaborative effort with us, potato https://t.co/6CWQ9vuNGa
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) June 17, 2020
We're all for vegetable-related insults, but Kyrgios' best point came through a retweet of a follower's reply.
The reply questioned what would happen to players' ranking points if they chose not to participate in the US Open for health and safety reasons, a question Kyrgios clearly also wants answered.
Do you lose ranking points if you choose not to risk spreading a deadly virus back here? If so, that'd be extremely unfair.
— Danni (@danni_writer) June 17, 2020
It follows Kyrgios questioning the re-scheduling on Tuesday and suggesting he would need a 'hazmat suit' to go and play tennis in the United States.
A completely valid point when you consider the current amount of cases of COVID-19 in the United States is still above 2.2 million people.
Smh - people that live in the US of course are pushing the Open to go ahead 🤦🏽♂️ ‘Selfish’ I’ll get my hazmat suit ready for when I travel from Australia and then have to quarantine for 2 weeks on my return.
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) June 16, 2020
Despite the lack of consultation, an even more alarming oversight seems to have been the complete neglect of the wheelchair tennis at this year's US Open.
Alcott, who has won 10 Grand Slam Wheelchair titles, took to Twitter to criticise the 'disgusting discrimination' displayed by the US Open's organisers.
"Just got announced that the US Open will go ahead WITHOUT wheelchair tennis," Alcott tweeted.
"Players weren’t consulted. 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..and please do not tell me I am a ‘greater risk’ because I am disabled. I am disabled yes but that does not make me SICK.
"I am fitter and healthier than nearly everybody reading this right now. There are no added risks.
"And for sure there are far more important things going on in the world, but that choice should’ve been up TO ME.
"It is blatant discrimination for able-bodied people to decide on my behalf what I do with my LIFE AND CAREER just because I am disabled.
"Not good enough @usopen."
Just got announced that the US Open will go ahead WITHOUT wheelchair tennis.. Players weren’t consulted. 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
— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) June 17, 2020
And please do not tell me I am a ‘greater risk’ because I am disabled. I am disabled yes but that does not make me SICK. I am fitter and healthier than nearly everybody reading this right now. There are no added risks.
— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) June 17, 2020
And for sure there are far more important things going on in the world, but that choice should’ve been up TO ME. It is blatant discrimination for able bodied people to decide on my behalf what i do with my LIFE AND CAREER just because I am disabled. Not good enough @usopen
— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) June 17, 2020
Alcott is a two-time US Open champion and last won the tournament in 2018.
His display received plenty of support on Twitter, with some fans suggesting Aussie tennis players should boycott the tournament as a result.
Fellow Aussie tennis players John Millman and James Duckworth have also spoken about their thoughts on the 2020 US Open in recent days, further emphasising the lack of consultation between the players and the tournament organisers.
It would be nice to get some of my information from the @atptour or @usopen instead of finding everything out on Twitter!!
— James Duckworth (@JamesDuck21) June 16, 2020
I love the US Open but it seems a little crazy that we’re still contemplating playing a grand slam there, right?
— John Millman (@johnhmillman) June 11, 2020
I think there’s a place for tennis, I just don’t know if the place for it is in the states right now..
— John Millman (@johnhmillman) June 11, 2020
