Former champion Wawrinka pulls out of US Open

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Bengaluru, August 8: The US Open tennis tournament set to start on August 31 amidst the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, received a further jolt when 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka pulled out of the tournament citing the health situation in New York.

The US Open has already seen a spate of high-profile withdrawals including four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal, with Wawrinka the latest to pull the plug.

Now, the 35-year-old will instead focus on Roland Garros where he won his second career major in 2015.

"There is the health situation which is particular in New York. I didn't want to go the US under these conditions," the world number 17, also the 2014 Australian Open champion, was quoted as saying by RTS.

Players at the US Open will be subject to tight health controls to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. It will also be played behind closed doors.

"And the sequence of tournaments which follows after the US Open will be tough," he added, referring to the Italian Open which starts a week after the conclusion of the New York event.

Roland Garros, delayed from May-June, will then start in Paris on September 27.

"Finally, there're all the uncertainties related to the quarantine issue. There're still many questions and doubts about the holding of the US Open."

Earlier WTA Top 10 players Elina Svitolina and Kiki Bertens said they were skipping the US Open. World number one Ashleigh Barty has also opted not to play.

Meanwhile, Kim Clijsters and Andy Murray are heading back to Flushing Meadows after receiving wildcards for the US Open.

The former champions, who both won their first major title at the New York grand slam, will bolster a line-up that has lost some of its star appeal.

Unusually, the US Open will be the second major of the year rather than the last, with Wimbledon having been cancelled for the first time in 75 years and French Open scheduled for September 27 start.