Nadal, Nick, Pavlyuchenkova And Others Who Have Withdrawn From US Open And Reasons

Rafael Nadal, Nick Krygios, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Ash Barty have all withdrawn from the US Open scheduled for 31st August to 12th September due to insecurities and health risks associated with traveling especially with the worldwide affected coronavirus pandemic.

Rafael Nadal

The 19-time major tournament champion announced on Tuesday that he would not be defending his title this year as the COVID-19 cases are spiking and it looks like major health agencies like WHO are not getting an edge over the virus.

“I know my words can have repercussions. It’s difficult to say if it’s the right or not right decision,” he said. “I personally respect the positive intention and the amount of work USTA and ATP are doing to bring back our Tour.

This is a decision I never wanted to take but I have decided to follow my heart this time and for the time being I rather not travel. pic.twitter.com/8VA0aSACVy

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) August 4, 2020

“I respect and understand that there are a lot of players that are in different situations than me and need to play. They need to make some money because they are facing financial problems.”

Nick Krygios

The Australian professional tennis player, Nick has not just withdrawn from the tournament but also criticized some other players who have decided to stay for ignoring the health advice and dangers they pose to themselves and others by engaging in the US Open during this coronavirus pandemic.

"I will not be playing this year at the U.S. Open," Kyrgios said in a video on social media on Sunday.

"It hurts me at my core not to be out there competing in one of the sport's greatest arenas, Arthur Ashe Stadium

Dear Tennis,

I will not be playing this year at the US Open.

It hurts me at my core…But I’m sitting out for the people, for my Aussies, for the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lost their lives, for all of you. #SincerelyYours, @NickKyrgios pic.twitter.com/7EecHNU82l

— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) August 1, 2020

Djokovic, Borna Coric, Grigor Dimitrov, and Victor Troicki all tested positive for COVID-19 after participating at a tennis exhibition tournament in the Balkans which was hastily canceled.

"Tennis players, you have to act in the interest of each other and work together," Kyrgios added.

"You can't be dancing on tables, money-grabbing your way around Europe, or trying to make a quick buck hosting an exhibition. That's just so selfish.

The world number 40, however, also took another shot at some of his fellow players, with whom he has been involved in a running battle over the last two months after they chose to play in a Novak Djokovic-organised exhibition event in Europe.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova said on Wednesday that she will not travel to New York to take part in the US Open later this month as organizers could not guarantee her health and safety amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

With over 4.7 million confirmed Covid-19 cases and more than 157 000 deaths, according to a Reuters tally in Russia, Anastasia believes it is best to stay put.

Pavlyuchenkova, 29, joins the likes of men's defending champion Rafa Nadal and women's world number one Ash Barty who pulled out of the Grand Slam out of fear of contracting the novel coronavirus during their stay in the country.

I’ve been thinking a lot and decided not to play US Open @usopen this year. It wasn’t easy because I hadn’t missed any Grand Slam in my entire carrier. Tennis is almost everything for me. https://t.co/5n0wKAd1rl pic.twitter.com/Xduv0unej1

— Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (@NastiaPav) August 5, 2020

 

"I've been thinking a lot and decided not to play (the) US Open this year," Pavlyuchenkova, ranked 30 in the world, said on Instagram. "It wasn't easy because I hadn't missed any Grand Slam in my entire career. Tennis is almost everything for me.

"The main reason is insecurity, (the) US Open doesn't provide any guarantees. I don't feel comfortable traveling to the USA in such circumstances.

"From this moment, every player is on his own. My team and I have decided it would be for the best not to participate."

Ashleigh Barty

World No. 1 Ash Barty announced late in July that she would not be going for the US Open due to COVID-19 ravaging America and the whole world at the moment and it would be better to be safe than sorry.

She said, "My team and I have decided that we won't be traveling to the US, and (the) Western and Southern Open and the US Open this year," in a statement.

"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.”

Australia's Ashleigh Barty, the top-ranked singles player in women's tennis, has announced she will not play in either the Western & Southern Open or the US Open, citing Covid-19 concerns https://t.co/TgsEJb0w2u

— CNN International (@cnni) July 30, 2020