'Ridiculous': US Open rocked by World No.2's withdrawal
World number two Simona Halep joined a growing list of tennis stars when she said on Monday that she would skip the US Open over coronavirus fears.
"After weighing up all the factors involved and with the exceptional circumstances in which we are living, I have decided that I will not travel to New York to play the @usopen," tweeted Halep, the current Wimbledon champion.
'OFF THE TABLE': Shock over Federer retirement 'bombshell'
MORE DRAMA: Positive virus test adds to US Open farce
'I GOT LOST’: Devastating reason Ash Barty quit tennis career
"I always said I would put my health at the heart of my decision and I therefore prefer to stay and train in Europe."
The Romanian added: "I know the @usta and @WTA have worked tirelessly to put on a safe event and I wish everyone there a successful tournament."
Halep joins a host of top players who are passing on playing at Flushing Meadows when the next grand slam tournament begins on August 31.
Reigning US Open champion Bianca Andreescu of Canada will not play, joining men's 2019 winner Rafael Nadal in deciding to skip the tournament.
Also absent from this year's US Open will be Australia's top-ranked Ashleigh Barty, Ukraine's fifth-ranked Elina Svitolina, World No.7 Kiki Bertens, eighth-ranked Swiss Belinda Bencic - whom Andreescu beat in the semi-finals last year - and past winner Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, currently ranked 32nd in the world.
Halep's withdrawal means six of the top 10 women's players in the world will be missing from the New York grand slam.
Many fans have labelled the situation a "joke" and are questioning why the US Open is determined to forge ahead during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Halep out, it will be joke of a tournament on women's side
— Łukasz (@koloidalny) August 17, 2020
Sad but totally understandable !
The US Open is looking more ridiculous and discredited by the moment !— Arabella Prideaux (@ArabellaPridea1) August 17, 2020
Good decision Simona...it’s ridiculous that they’re organising a slam in d worst COVID affected city in d world!!!
Its better 2 play smaller events at safer places & prepare 4 next season.👍🏽🎾💪🏽— Nayan🍃 (@njb_moon) August 17, 2020
I am@not shocked at all about Halep. Not at all. How many top 10 players left? 4?
— Jake (@yOdellehewho24) August 17, 2020
Well done Simona the US Open too dangerous with the coronavirus in New York City. The women US Open is a joke five top ten women have dropped out!! Whomever wins the US Opem women title deserves an asterisk. The best players won't be in New York.
— OrvilleLloydDouglas🇨🇦🏳️🌈 (@OrvilleLloyd) August 17, 2020
Downgrades US Open enormously. There are always asterisks over Australian Opens when top players didn’t go. Plus Wimbledon in boycott year. It will be the same with US Open. Now Nishikori has virus. Ridiculous it’s being played. Some players already shown huge irresponsibility.
— KeiraEve (@tohabebj) August 17, 2020
6 of the top 10 now withdrawn in Women's event for US Open , telling you everything you need to know about it still not being safe enough to play an event the size of that , it should be cancelled this year like Wimbledon was #USOpen
— Martyn Waller (@Martynw34) August 17, 2020
Withdrawals leave Williams with golden opportunity
Serena Williams, seeking a 24th career Grand Slam title to match Margaret Court's all-time record, will compete, as will men's world number one Novak Djokovic.
The only other players from the WTA top 10 remaining in the tournament are world number three Karolina Pliskova, reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, who is ranked fourth in the world, and Naomi Osaka, who sits in 10th place.
That leaves 38-year-old Williams with a golden opportunity to equal Court's Slam record, which has been in her sights since she won her last major tournament - the 2017 Australian Open.
Williams, who suffered a shock quarter-final defeat by Shelby Rogers at the recent WTA tournament in Lexington, Kentucky, has lost four Grand Slam finals since then, including last year's US Open final to Andreescu.
New York was one of the hardest-hit US cities when COVID-19 first spiked in March and April, a temporary hospital even being established on indoor courts at the US Tennis Center.
Women's tennis only got back under way early this month in Palermo, Italy, after the game's virus-enforced shutdown came into effect five months early.
with Yahoo Sport staff
