Novak Djokovic has come under huge fire for putting on the Adria Tour in which four players and many other coaches and staff members contracted coronavirus during the global pandemic. Paul Annacone thinks Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will have to pick up the pieces and sort through the consequences.
There have been calls for Djokovic to be stripped of his position as chairman of the player council.
Federer and Nadal are members of the 10-strong group which helps to shape the way the tennis tour is run.
Annacone feels the player council, including Federer and Nadal, should hold the Serbian to account.
“There’s 10 people on the council; they should figure how they feel about it,” Annacone told Sports Illustrated.
“You have 500 players around the world on razor’s edge, hoping they can play in eight weeks [at the US Open]. Every action has a consequence.”
Annacone thinks there will be a number of top stars who are wondering why Djokovic took such a risk.
“I think there’s a lot of his peer group who are scratching their heads,” he added.
“His [Novak Djokovic] passion to do something good clouded all the information, all the science.
“It was a good cause, driven by the right reason, but the end result was pretty disastrous.”
Djokovic has released a statement apologising for staging the exhibition tour.
“We organised the tournament at the moment when the virus has weakened, believing that the conditions for hosting the Tour had been met,” he said.
“Unfortunately, this virus is still present, and it is a new reality that we are still learning to cope and live with.
“I am extremely sorry for each individual case of infection.
“I hope that it will not complicate anyone’s health situation and that every will be fine.
“I will remain in self-isolation for the next 14 days, and repeat the test in five days.”