The U.S. Tennis Associated (USTA) changed its policy on COVID-19 vaccines for the 2021 U.S. Open months after tickets went on sale, previously stating that unvaccinated fans would be allowed to attend the two-week Grand Slam tournament in New York.
“Given the continuing evolution of the Delta variant and in keeping with our intention to put the health and safety of our fans first, the USTA will extend the Mayor’s requirement to all U.S. Open ticket holders 12-years-old and older,” the USTA statement reads.
“Any U.S. Open attendee with tickets to Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium, The Grandstand, or the grounds of the US Open, will be required to provide proof of at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to enter the grounds.”
The tennis tournament is set to begin on Aug. 30, and fans are requested to bring a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination card or a photo or photocopy of the card as a way to prove their vaccination status.
In an earlier statement, the USTA said spectators wouldn’t be required to wear masks or show proof of their vaccination status to attend matches at the U.S. Open.
![A general view of Arthur Ashe Stadium is seen as Dominic Thiem of Austria serves the ball in the first set during his Men's Singles final match against Alexander Zverev of Germany on Day 14 of the 2020 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Queens borough of New York on Sept. 13, 2020. (Al Bello/Getty Images)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F08%2F28%2FArthur-Ashe-Stadium-4-600x388.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
“The goal is not to prevent all cases of COVID. The goal, really, is to be certain that we don’t have an outbreak of COVID that’s going to be unusual or that we would regret,” Dr. Brian Hainline, a USTA first vice president and member of its medical advisory group, said on a conference call with reporters earlier this week.