Andy Murray and Dan Evans slate Novak Djokovic’s Adria Tour project

Novak Djokovic's position as leader of the ATP Players Council appears under increasing pressure after his disastrous Adria Tour project suffered more embarrassment.

British No 1 Dan Evans joined the chorus of criticism of the exhibition series in the Balkans that he has organised, which saw three more participants and support staff testing positive for Covid-19 on Sunday.

World No 33 Borna Coric was among the new announcements to add to Grigor Dimitrov, resulting from an event which has seen a defiant refusal to recommend basic social distancing measures.

With Nick Kyrgios describing the conduct of the events as ‘boneheaded’ Evans – preparing for this week’s Battle of the Brits event at Roehampton – took issue with the way players have made no attempt to stay apart, including in a Belgrade nightclub.

Grigor Dimitrov became tennis’s highest profile name to test positive for Covid-19 on Sunday

‘I just think it is poor example to set,’ said Evans, whose mother is a nurse with the NHS.  Even if the guidelines in that country are not two metres…it is not a joke is it? Even if the guidelines were taken away in this country to normal I would still be trying to keep myself out of the way as much as I could from other people. I just think there has been a total disregard to that.

‘It is very unfortunate that Grigor has it, Coric has it but, you know, if you strip it back, is it a surprise? I think that is the question we should all ask. I think we could definitely learn from that.

‘I hope there is no second-guessing now on the US Open because of unfortunate events.’

Asked whether Djokovic should be setting a better example in his position as President of the ATP Player Council he replied: ‘I think your question answers what I think. Yes.

‘I don’t think you should be having a players party and dancing all over each other and then two very good tennis players have tested positive. You should feel some responsibility in his event and how it has transpired.’

Borna Coric (left) has contracted coronavirus after Grigor Dimitrov (right) tested positive

Nick Kyrgios labelled the decision to go ahead with the Adria Tour as ‘boneheaded’

Andy Murray, also making his comeback this week, described the scenes in Belgrade – which included packed crowds and ballkids being handed sweaty player towels – as ‘a recipe for it to kick off’.

‘All countries, obviously, have different rules in place. But I think, though, once you start to bring in international travel into it, and players are coming in and team members from all different parts of the world, you need to make sure you’re taking all the correct measures, all the precautions that you can, to try avoid a situation like they got into over there.

‘Hopefully, it’s nothing too bad, there’s not a big outbreak there, because my understanding is that in Serbia and Croatia they were handling it fairly well. But, once you start having mass gatherings with people coming in from all sorts of countries, it’s a recipe for it to kick off. 

‘It’s kind of a lesson for all of us to take – if we weren’t already – to take this extremely seriously, to have as many safety measures in place as possible.’

Djokovic, who has stumbled from one public relations disaster to another during lockdown, flew out of the latest event in Zadar, Croatia, at the weekend and was due to be tested on Monday back in Belgrade.

Andy Murray said that there are lessons to be learned from Djokovic’s staging of the event

Meanwhile Murray revealed that he is feeling confident in his body as he prepares to play his first match since November on Tuesday, against Stockport’s Liam Broady

‘My hip’s been feeling better, probably the last three or four weeks. It feels better than in March. I feel a little bit more confident in it, because I’ve had more training under my belt, more practice.’

He confirmed that he was planning on playing the US Open in August, all things being equal. He also recognises the complexity of the protocols being introduced, and called for clarification on what happens to those caught breaking the safety rules at Flushing Meadows.

British No 1 Dan Evans said that Djokovic’s handling of the event sets ‘a poor example’

‘I don’t mind what the situation is, providing it’s safe. If I was told I could take one person with me, for example, you can make that work. I would probably go with a physio in that situation, with some coaching done remotely. 

‘That’s not a perfect situation, obviously. To prepare for a grand slam, you’d probably be over there for three to four weeks beforehand. So, from a performance perspective, that’s tricky.

‘But I also appreciate that these are unprecedented times, so you have to make do with what’s possible.

Murray gave an optimistic fitness update as he prepares for his first match since November

‘Also what’s the punishment for people who are not sticking to the rules there that have been put in place? 

‘You imagine a situation where you’re in the last stages of the US Open but, because someone’s gone out [of] that bubble and broken those rules and gone into Manhattan, or done something he shouldn’t have been doing, and you then contract the virus and are not able to compete in, maybe, the quarter-finals and semis of the US Open.

‘It would be extremely frustrating. So how do they police that exactly? I don’t know how they go about it.’