By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
There has been some speculation regarding the upcoming 2020 U.S. and French Opens and even the 2021 Australian Open that, due to “social distancing” in this era of the coronavirus pandemic, draws for these Grand Slam events may be reduced from 128 players. This is pure speculation at this point (mostly in public from people who are not the decision makers). However, there has been much concern about crowded locker rooms and player lounges, as is customary in the first week of a Grand Slam tournament.
Some have said – most notably on Twitter – that unless a Grand Slam has 128 players, it should not be classified as a Grand Slam tournament. However, there is a precedent for majors not featuring a full 128-player main draw, although it hasn’t happened since the 1987 Australian Open. The last time the U.S. Open did not have a full 128-player draw was in 1980, the last year that the women’s singles field had a 96 player draw.
As it states in the U.S. Open Record Book, “From 1900 to 1956 the men’s draw fluctuated between 64 and 128 players, with the exception of the events held during World War II (as few as 48 players participated in 1945.) The men’s draw first moved uniformly to 128 players in 1956 with the end of separate seedings for American and International players and has, by and large, remained at 128 players throughout the Open Era.The two Open Era exceptions are 1968, 32 players were given byes for the resultant field of 96 and 1971 when 20 players were given byes for a resultant field of a 108. The women’s draw fluctuated between 32 and 64 players from the early 1900s into the 1950s. It held at 64 players each year from 1952 to 1962 then fluctuated between 64 and 128 players until the beginning of the Open Era in 1968. The women’s draw began the Open Era with a field of 64 players, increased to 96 players in 1976, and finally to 128 players in 1981. It has remained at 128 ever since.”
In this context, there has been much hype around the quest of Serena Williams to tie and overtake Margaret Court as the all-time leader in major singles titles won. Serena has won 23 majors, one shy of Court’s record of 24 majors. All of Serena’s majors were won with full 128-player fields at all four majors. The following is the breakdown of the fields of Court’s 24 majors.
1960 Australian: 32 player field, two non-Australian competitors
1961 Australian: 44-player field, one non-Australian competitors
1962 Australian: 48-player field, three non-Australian competitors
1962 French: 93-player field
1962 US: 96 player field.
1963 Australian: 39-player filed, 3 non-Australian competitors
1963 Wimbledon: 96 player field
1964 Australian: 27-player field, 2 non-Australian competitors
1964 French: 85-player field
1965 Australian: 52-player field, 22-non Australian competitors
1965 Wimbledon: 96 competitors
1965 U.S. 96-player field
1966 Australian: 48-player field, 6 non-Australians
1969 Australian: 32-player field, 8 non-Australians
1969 French Open: 64-player field
1969 US Open: 64-player field
1970 Australian Open: 43-player field, 5 non-Australians
1970 French Open: 64-player field
1970 Wimbledon: 96-player field
1970 US Open: 64-player field
1971 Australian Open: 30-player field, 4 non-Australians
1973 Australian Open: 48-player field, 16 non-Australians
1973 French Open: 64-player field
1973 US Open: 64-player field
To read my early brainstorm about contingency plans for the 2020 U.S. Open in this coronavirus era, click here: http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/18459
