World Number one Ash Barty will be skipping the US Open tournament which will happen later this year due to coronavirus pandemic.
“My team and I have decided that we won’t be travelling to the US for the Western and Southern Open and the US Open this year,” Barty said.
“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.”
Barty made the fourth round in singles at last year’s US Open and was a doubles finalist alongside Victoria Azarenka.
Fed Cup team-mate Sam Stosur, the US Open 2011 champion, will also skip the tournament. Stosur will be taking the rest of the year off and will be spending time with daughter Evie who was born in June.
“I have so many special memories at the tournament, but with everything that is going on I do not want to travel to New York and then have to quarantine for two weeks in a hotel when I get home,” Stosur told Australian Tennis Magazine.
Barty is still uncertain of her plans for the remainder of the season. This includes contesting a rescheduled French Open in September, where she is the defending champion.
“I will make my decision on the French Open and the surrounding WTA European tournaments in the coming weeks,” she said.
