(Reuters) – World number one Ash Barty will skip this summer’s U.S. Open and the tournament proceeding it in New York due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
“My team and I have decided that we won’t be traveling to the U.S. for the Western and Southern Open and the U.S. Open this year,” the Australian told the Herald Sun newspaper.
“I love both events so it was a difficult decision but there are still significant risks involved due to COVID-19 and I don’t feel comfortable putting my team and I in that position.
“I wish the USTA all the best for the tournaments and look forward to being back in the U.S. next year.”
The Western and Southern Open, which is held annually in Cincinnati, has been moved to New York this year and is set to start in mid-August.
The U.S. Open kicks off on Aug. 31 and will be held in its usual home in Flushing Meadows, Queens but will be played without fans in attendance to limit the spread of the virus.
The reigning French Open champion will decide later whether to defend her title at Roland Garros starting in late September.
“I will make my decision on the French Open and the surrounding WTA European tournaments in the coming weeks,” she said.
World number one Novak Djokovic and 23-times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams are among players expected to compete at the U.S. Open despite concerns about undergoing mandatory quarantine when travelling to Europe, forcing them to miss tournaments in Madrid and Rome ahead of the French Open.
Deaths from COVID-19 surpassed 150,000 in the United States yesterday, more than any other country and nearly a quarter of the world’s total, according to a Reuters tally.
