ennis is fighting for survival, according to Feliciano López on the first anniversary of his triumph at Queen’s Club, and the veteran Spaniard says players, rich and struggling, will have to accept “significant” cuts in prize money to save their sport. López has also warned that the ATP may not survive the coronavirus crisis. While the west London host of the ATP 500 tournament idles along with the rest of tennis (apart from glorified exhibitions), López paints a grim picture as the industry wrestles with the impact of Covid-19. Still keen to resume playing at 38, the arch survivor, who has played at a record 72 grand slams in a row, is also the Madrid Open’s director and offers a unique perspective on what might happen next. “I’m talking as a player now – but I’m also a tournament director and I am able to see the reality, to see how tough it is to survive in this crisis. It is hitting everyone. It’s tough to break even. This is what the players need to understand. It is really urgent that everybody plays. But, if we don’t have tournaments, it’s possible the ATP is not going to survive either. We need to stay together. It is the only way to survive.” López revealed those running events are in crisis talks with the ATP, and the WTA, and will have to resolve their dilemma within the next two weeks. “There are different scenarios. One, where you don’t have spectators at all, so the reduction [in prize money] is going to be more significant; the other is where you can have 30% or 40% of spectators, and then the reduction would be less.” López believes Madrid could “break even” with a 40% crowd – and reduced prize money. Bringing players together in a global sport during a pandemic is a problem, he agrees, but he said: “I think in two weeks or so, the borders and the airports are going to start opening up, and we’re going to be able to travel freely – I hope. We have to consider that there are different restrictions in Europe. For example, it is not the same in Austria as in Germany. We’re working on that.” The bigger problem is in South America and the US, where there have been fresh outbreaks of coronavirus, as well as strong reservations by leading players including the world No 1, Novak Djokovic – who broke down in tears after beating Alexander Zverev 4-0, 1-4, 4-2, in front of a crowd of 4,000 people at his own tournament in Belgrade on Sunday – Rafael Nadal, and the world No 2 on the WTA Tour, Simona Halep. López respects Djokovic’s reluctance to travel to the US Open with only one member of his entourage, but said: “Is it a sacrifice? Yes. But you will have the physios on site and you will have maybe your team waiting for you at the hotel. It is a small sacrifice.” López thinks the US Open, still pencilled in for 24 August, will get a green light when officials confer in New York on Monday. If not the Tour is more likely to resume on clay in Europe – beginning with Madrid in September, then Rome and leading on to Roland Garros. One player keen to go to New York is Andy Murray, with whom López won the doubles at Queen’s Club last year but who has not played since November. “We are in touch every two weeks or so,” said López. “We text each other. Two days ago I was talking to him, and he was really pumped about the US Open. He was starting to practise again. I asked about the hip, how it was feeling, and he was positive. He might be able to compete again. I’m crossing my fingers to see Andy playing again, of course. It would be great for everybody, especially for him.”