The 34-year-old from Spain called sitting out the competition arranged to start Aug. 31 in New York “a choice I never ever desired to take,” however included that he would “rather not travel.”
The existing No. 1-ranked lady, Ash Barty, currently had revealed she would be missing the United States Open. The USTAs entry list statements Tuesday noted that 2019 ladiess champ Bianca Andreescu is in the field– a minimum of in the meantime; players can withdraw until the start of play– however made no reference of Nadal.
The professional tennis trips have actually been on hiatus because March due to the fact that of the COVID-19 outbreak, with play resuming for women on Monday in Palermo, Italy. The first guyss occasion on the primary trip is scheduled for later on this month.
Nadals announcement came shortly after the Madrid Open, scheduled for September, was canceled since of the pandemic.
In in 2015s thriller of a maless final at Flushing Meadows, Nadal edged Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 in 4 hours, 50 minutes. That offered Nadal four titles at the US Open and an overall of 19 throughout all the Grand Slam tournaments, just one away from Federers profession mark.
Federer will be absent from the United States Open, too, however because of 2 operations on his best knee this year.
The last Grand Slam competition objected to without Federer or Nadal was the 1999 United States Open– four years prior to Nadal made his debut at one of the sports four most prominent occasions.
The USTA has actually provided duplicated indicators it means to go forward with the United States Open, regardless of the spikes in cases around the United States, saying in a press release recently: “New York State continues to be one of the best locations in the country as it associates with the COVID-19 infection.”
That is presently real– although the area was a significant U.S. location early in the pandemic, so much so that a building at the US Open site was used as a momentary medical facility.
New York medical facilities saw more than 18,000 clients with COVID-19 at a time in mid-April when infections rose, and more than 750 clients with the disease died each day in healthcare facilities and retirement home. Those figures plunged in May, and rates of hospitalizations and new positive COVID-19 cases have actually been relatively steady considering that June.
There are still worries about travel, as Nadal noted.
The USTA is planning a doubleheader of sorts at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The Western & & Southern Open, a hard-court tournament usually played in Cincinnati, was moved to the United States Open site this year since of the pandemic and is set up to be played Aug. 20-28.
That is supposed to be followed by the US Open itself. And then, 2 weeks after the United States Open closes on Sept. 13, the French Open is scheduled to start in Paris, having actually been postponed from its normal May start.
Protecting champion Rafael Nadal will avoid the US Open because of the coronavirus pandemic, postponing his bid to equal Roger Federers maless tennis record for Grand Slam titles.
Nadal discussed his choice in a series of tweets sent in Spanish and English on Tuesday.
” The scenario is very complex worldwide, the COVID-19 cases are increasing, it looks like we still do not have control of it,” Nadal wrote.
This is a choice I never desired to take but I have actually decided to follow my heart this time and for the time being I rather not take a trip. pic.twitter.com/8VA0aSACVy— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) August 4, 2020
