NEW YORK • In an unusual attempt to save two of the top US-based tournaments amid the coronavirus pandemic, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) has proposed staging a double-header in New York by moving an event so that it leads into the US Open.

The move, under consideration by the ATP and WTA Tours, could allow foreign players to remain in one place for the duration of their stay in the US, and establish a safe "bubble" for competitors similar to proposals by the National Basketball Association and other sports like Formula One.

The proposal is to move the Cincinnati Masters, a combined men's and women's event, to New York, but keep its window on the calendar, leading into the US Open at Flushing Meadows.

The Masters tournament is currently set for Aug 17-23, while the main draw of the hard-court Grand Slam is slated for Aug 31 to Sept 13.

It is far from certain that either event can be played this year, but the change is designed to help draw the needed support of government and public health officials as they manage the outbreak.

It is, however, unclear, especially under the current quarantine guidelines, if enough players would be prepared to travel to New York, one of the epicentres of the Covid-19 disease.

Many players have gone without income since March when both Tours shut down and scores of tournaments have been postponed or cancelled.

The Tours will need to formally approve the moving of the Cincinnati Masters from its home in Mason, Ohio. While there is a desire for this to happen, officials said there would still be hurdles to overcome.

These include quarantine rules that could require some athletes to self-isolate after arriving in the US and again after returning to their home bases.

But these requirements could be changed for athletes, just like how Britain is giving dispensation for elite sport.

A directive from the US government last month granted permission for foreign professional athletes, including tennis players, to travel to the US for competitions even if general travel bans exist.

"I appreciate that everyone is going outside the box to think of solutions in these circumstances," said world No. 359 American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

"We don't really have anything in the rule books for this situation. Putting two big tournaments in the same place is definitely on the right track because it definitely makes it a bit easier to control some things.

"I really think if we can pull this off in New York after all that has happened, it will totally be a big inspiration."

If the tournaments are to be held, there would most likely be no fans on site - a major shift for the US Open, which attracted a crowd of more than 850,000 last year. This is despite Chris Widmaier, the USTA's head of communications, recently saying the Grand Slam was exploring the possibility of a live gallery.

Even behind closed doors, there may be some changes to add entertainment value for TV audiences.

US Open leaders have pushed unsuccessfully in the past for on-court coaching to be allowed in the main draw - an issue that flared at the 2018 final, when Serena Williams had a heated confrontation with a chair umpire for receiving coaching from the stands. That might finally get approval from both Tours and their fellow Grand Slam tournaments in this special situation.

Both Arthur Ashe Stadium, the main court with an almost 24,000 capacity, and the 14,000-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium, would be used even without fans, but that might not mean a hollow atmosphere.

The German Bundesliga has used artificial crowd noise in its broadcasts to combat the empty feeling since its restart last month, and ESPN, the US Open's official network partner, could do the same.

"Cheering can be piped in," USTA's chief executive for professional tennis, Stacey Allaster, said. "We are learning from other sports as they go through this journey."

NYTIMES