World No.2 Simona Halep latest to pull out of US Open

A day after Switzerland's Belinda Bencic withdrew from US Open, world number two Simona Halep on Monday also joined a growing list of tennis star pulling out of the Grand Slam tournament in Flushing Meadows.

The 28-year-old Romanian took to her official Twitter handle to confirm that she has decided to not travel to New York after taking into consideration all the factors involved and exceptional circumstances at the moment.

"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.I always said I would put my health at the heart of my decision,"she wrote.

Halep further revealed she would continue to stay and train in Europe, while also wishing luck to all those players featuring in this year's US Open.

"and I therefore prefer to stay and train in Europe. I know the @usta and @WTA have worked tirelessly to put on a safe event and I wish everyone there a successful tournament," she added.

 

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and I therefore prefer to stay and train in Europe. I know the @usta and @WTA have worked tirelessly to put on a safe event and I wish everyone there a successful tournament  — Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) August 17, 2020

 

Halep has now joined Switzerland's Belinda Bencic, Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios, 2019 US Open champion and current world number two Rafael Nadal, world No.1 Ashleigh Barty, defending champion Bianca Andreescu in withdrawing from the Flushing Meadows tournament due to coronavirus fear.

The US Open, which will be the first Grand Slam of the year for players amid coronavirus,is slated to take place from August 31 to September 13.