Volvo Car Open/Chris Smith
Will the outlook improve as the year goes on? It's an impossible question to answer. That said, in Charleston, S.C. this week, WTA players entered at the 500-level tournament were presented a noteworthy opportunity—one that shows the sport has genuine ambitions to support their competitors in returning to familiar playing environments.
“All participants got an email like a day or two before the tournament started about the possibility to get vaccinated,” shares Oksana Kalashnikova, ranked No. 65 in doubles. “It was up to every player to confirm if she wanted to get her shot.”
In cooperation with the Volvo Car Open and Plantation Pharmacy, a local drugstore, WTA secured single dose, Johnson & Johnson Janssen COVID-19 vaccinations for their entrants. The program is available for two weeks, with the LTP Daniel Island Tennis Center hosting consecutive tournaments. (A 250 event was added to the 2021 calendar for the week of April 12 earlier this year, when the ITF postponed the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.)
“With the state of South Carolina opening up vaccine eligibility on March 31 to everyone over the age of 16 to anyone that desires to be vaccinated, the WTA and Volvo Car Open were provided the opportunity to secure vaccines while remaining respectful to the priority of local access,” says Amy Binder, the WTA’s Vice President of Global Communications. “We are very grateful for this opportunity, especially with the single dose vaccine, which is ideal for the global nature of our tour.
“We of course hope to have other chances to secure the vaccine when it is feasible, factoring in various countries and their own vaccine rollout. The WTA does encourage everyone that has the opportunity to get vaccinated to protect not only themselves, but the communities in which they reside.”
Potapova’s agent originally spotted the prospect and encouraged the 20-year-old to check her email. Her first reaction was, “Why not?” While she admits a decision to proceed wasn't easy, Potapova opted in after taking a few days and consulting with her team.
And her needle problems? They were soon quashed.
“I was super nervous, but I was so wrong. It literally took three seconds to do it,” she says. “I didn’t feel the shot at all. After a few seconds, I felt a bit of soreness in my arm but in five minutes, it was gone.”