Novak Djokovic to compete in US Open but Bianca Andreescu withdraws
Novak Djokovic has announced he will travel to New York to contest the US Open this month but the reigning women’s champion, Bianca Andreescu, withdrew from the event on Thursday.
Andreescu has not competed since sustaining a knee injury at the WTA Finals last October. The 20-year-old’s career has already been plagued by a worrying string of injuries. In 2019, she struggled with a shoulder for five months before returning to win her home tournament, the Rogers Cup in Toronto, and the US Open in her first two events back.
“I have taken this step in order to focus on my match fitness to ensure I return ready to play at my highest level,” she said. “The US Open victory last year has been the high point thus far and I will miss not being there. However, I realise the unforeseen challenges, including the Covid pandemic, have compromised my ability to prepare and compete at the degree necessary to play at the highest level.”
Despite previously calling US Open’s bubble protocols extreme, Djokovic’s commitment hinged on whether players would be able to return to Europe for the clay-court season without being forced to quarantine under EU travel restrictions. The Italian authorities finally ruled on 7 August that athletes would be able to forgo quarantine by undertaking a coronavirus swab test within 48 hours of arrival in Italy.
Many players will travel directly to Rome for the ATP Masters 1000 and WTA Premier 5 event, which has now been moved back in place of the cancelled Madrid Open and will take place on 14 September. The French Open is scheduled to start on 27 September.
“It was not an easy decision to make with all the obstacles and challenges on many sides but the prospect of competing again makes me really excited,” Djokovic said.
He will return to competition at the Western & Southern Open on 21 August, which has been moved to
Flushing Meadows, and will provide the only preparation for male players before the US Open begins on 31 August.
The women’s world No 1, Ashleigh Barty, the men’s defending champion, Rafael Nadal and around 25 other players have now withdrawn from the US Open.