Google News
British doubles star Joe Salisbury admits coming out of isolation just few days before the start of the Nitto ATP Finals wasn't ideal but he's happy that he's able to compete at The O2 Arena. Last week, the Paris Masters organizers announced that a contact of world No.
10 Salisbury tested positive for the coronavirus, and as a result of that, Salisbury and his partner Rajeev Ram were pulled out of the event. Thought Salisbury tested negative three times in Paris and was allowed to return home, he had to complete a 14-day isolation.
"It’s not ideal but I guess I’m fortunate that it was yesterday and not in a few days’ time. If it had been half a week into Paris and then that had happened, I wouldn’t be able to be here. We’ll make the best of it and I’m grateful that I’m still able to play," Salisbury said, as quoted on Yahoo Sports.
Salisbury admits he had certain fears when the season restarted
"I think everybody was a bit stressed by it at the start when we went out to New York, everybody was worried about it, and then kind of got used to it and just accepted that it was a risk that we could have a positive test and accepted we had to stay in the bubble," Salisbury said.
“At least for me, I kind of relaxed a little bit about it, I kind of thought, ‘it’s been going fine so far, we’ve all been testing negative’, and I guess assumed it would keep going that way.
“And then obviously when this happened I’ve been worried about the situation here, hoping I’m going to test negative and everyone in the team is going to test negative, and I guess the closer you get to it and to someone who has tested positive, the more worried about it (you are).
“But that’s just the way it is now, you can’t do anything about it apart from be careful”. Salisbury returned to the practice court on Friday. “It was OK. It takes a little bit to get back into it but it always feels a little bit like that when you’re playing somewhere new, getting used to the courts, the balls, new environment," Salisbury said of his practice since coming out of isolation.
“I was hitting the ball pretty well. Having not played any points or matches for a long time – we’ve only played one match in the last five weeks since the French Open – we’re practising again later, playing some practice points and then we’re on tomorrow. Not the best preparation but we’ll see how it goes”.