If World TeamTennis gets its way, Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens could be among the first tennis players to compete in front of fans after the coronavirus pandemic prompted lockdowns around the globe.
WTT said Tuesday it is planning to allow up to 500 spectators at each of its outdoor matches during a three-week season from July 12 to Aug. 2 at a resort in West Virginia.
The league also announced an increase in total prize money to $5 million this year, $1.5 million more than for its 2019 season.
All tennis events sanctioned by the ATP, WTA and International Tennis Federation are on hold until at least late July because of the COVID-19 outbreak. That includes the French Open, which was supposed to have started its 15-day main draw Sunday but was postponed until September, and Wimbledon, which was canceled outright for the first time in 75 years.
But WTT is not affiliated with those tours and does not need to abide by their decisions about when it is OK to compete.
Because of the pandemic, World TeamTennis is bringing all nine of its teams to one site – The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia – instead of having matches played around the United States.
SOCCER
Bayern beats Dortmund, closes in on 8th straight Bundesliga
Joshua Kimmich scored with a long-range lob to give Bayern Munich a 1-0 win over closest rival Borussia Dortmund at Berlin, putting the team a huge step closer to claiming a record-extending eighth consecutive Bundesliga title.
It was an eerily quiet meeting between the Bundesliga rivals as the shouts from players and coaches, and the thud of the ball being kicked around, could be heard clearly in Dortmund’s almost-empty 80,000-capacity Westfalenstadion.
The Bundesliga, which resumed after a two-month coronavirus-induced suspension on May 16, is being played without fans and amid strict hygiene measures for the rest of season.
COLLEGES
Ex-De Paul player Jalen Coleman-Lands signs with Iowa State
Former DePaul guard Jalen Coleman-Lands is joining Iowa State as a graduate transfer.
Coleman-Lands averaged 11.1 points per game for the Blue Demons last season. He will be eligible immediately pending his graduation from DePaul.
FOOTBALL: Former Indiana quarterback Peyton Ramsey has transferred to Northwestern, giving the Wildcats another option behind center after they struggled offensively last season.
Northwestern also announced punter Derek Adams had joined the team. Ramsey and Adams are eligible to play for Coach Pat Fitzgerald this season as graduate transfers.
• Quarterback Jalen Kitna, son of longtime NFL signal caller Jon Kitna, has committed to the Florida Gators’ 2021 class.
LUGE
Luge Canada hires former US slider Duncan Kennedy as coach
Duncan Kennedy, one of the top sliders in USA Luge history and a three-time qualifier for the Olympics, has been hired as an assistant coach by Luge Canada.
Kennedy officially starts his new role on Monday. He will be based in Lake Placid, New York.
Kennedy was the first USA Luge athlete to win a World Cup race when he prevailed at Sigulda, Latvia in 1991. He competed in the 1992, 1994 and 1998 Olympics and is a three-time World Cup overall season medalist, placing second twice and third once.
The upcoming luge World Cup season is scheduled to begin at Innsbruck, Austria on Nov. 28.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.