DÜSSELDORF – There were no spectators, no line judges, no ballkids -- and no post-match handshake at the net -- as an exhibition tennis event got underway in Germany on Friday with professional players, a rare instance of live, televised sports held during the coronavirus pandemic.
Just three men were involved in each contest for what will be a four-day event at an academy near the small town of Höhr-Grenzhausen: two players, who sat on opposite sides of the indoor clay court, and a chair umpire. “I like working with the crowd.
I like having the energy on the court. There’s people watching, they get pumped, so that gives me a lot of energy and makes the thing more fun. ...