Tennis: Player at Prague ATP Challenger tests positive for Covid-19

A ball girl wearing protective gloves holds balls during a Czech Tennis Association President's Cup match in May 2020. PHOTO: AFP

PRAGUE (AFP) - A tennis player has tested positive for Covid-19 at a Prague Challenger tournament, the first post-lockdown ATP event, tour organisers said on Saturday (Aug 15) without giving any names.

"Following the completion of pre-tournament testing at the ATP Challenger event in Prague, one player has tested positive for Covid-19," the ATP said in a tweet.

Featuring three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, the Prague Open started on Saturday and will run until Aug 22.

The ATP said the player had been put in quarantine at his home as he was "locally based".

"In addition, a contact tracing process has been initiated to identify and notify any individuals who may have come into contact with the player," the tour said.

"The player was not a direct acceptance into either the main draw or qualifying events of the tournament," it added.

This is not the first time men's tennis has been hit by the Covid-19 disease.

In June, Novak Djokovic, Borna Coric, Viktor Troicki and Grigor Dimitrov all tested positive for the virus during the Adria Tour tennis exhibition.

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