Nadal opts out over virus concerns
NEW YORK World No. 2 Rafael Nadal confirmed on Tuesday that he will not defend his U.S. Open crown this year at Flushing Meadows as organizers released the singles entry list for the Grand Slam.
Spain’s Nadal had said in June that he had reservations about travelling to the U.S. amid the COVID -19 pandemic and he joins women’s world No. 1 Australian Ash Barty in skipping the tournament due to COVID-19 concerns.
“After many thoughts I have decided not to play this year’s U.S. Open,” Nadal said on Twitter. “The situation is very complicated worldwide, the COVID-19 cases are increasing, it looks like we still don’t have control of it.”
World No. 3 Novak Djokovic, a three-time champion in New York, headlines the men’s list along with last year’s runner-up Daniil Medvedev and other top 10 players including Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev. Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Milos Raonic are slated to play.
Swiss Roger Federer, a five-times U.S. Open champion, will also be absent after the 38-year-old was forced to undergo knee surgery in June that prematurely ended his 2020 season.
Nine of the top 10 women’s players, including 23-times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams and holder Bianca Andreescu, are on the entry list along with 2018 champion Naomi Osaka.
As many as 13 Grand Slam champions are in the women’s draw including Romania’s Simona Halep, the reigning Wimbledon champion and 2018 French Open winner, and this year’s Australian Open champion American Sofia Kenin.
Organizers said the seedings would be announced closer to the start of the tournament, which is scheduled for Aug. 31.
The Madrid Open, which was scheduled to take place from Sept. 12-20, was cancelled on Tuesday due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in the Spanish capital.
The United States has the highest tally in the world with more than 4.7 million confirmed novel coronavirus cases and nearly 156,000 deaths, according to a Reuters tally.