New York
Women’s world number five Elina Svitolina and Kiki Bertens, ranked seventh, on Friday joined a growing list of players withdrawing from this month’s U.S. Open due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Men’s defending champion Rafa Nadal and women’s world number one Ashleigh Barty have opted against travelling to New York to play the hardcourt Grand Slam as well as the Western & Southern Open that will work as a warmup for the U.S. Open.
“I understand and respect all the efforts they are putting to make it happen in a safe environment, but I still don’t feel comfortable to travel to U.S. without putting my team and myself at high risk,” Ukrainian Svitolina, who reached last year’s semi-finals in New York, said on Twitter.
The United States has close to 5 million cases of COVID-19 and almost 160,000 people have died, according to a Reuters tally.
“The situation around COVID-19 is still worrying and the health of everyone and the control over this virus is priority,” said the 28-year-old Bertens on Instagram.
The U.S. Open organisers (USTA) are creating a bio-secure ‘bubble’ in New York to hold the tournament from Aug. 31 without spectators. —Reuters
