STARNBERG, June 16, 2020
Simona Halep announced on Tuesday that she will not be playing this year’s US Open and the Asian swing due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The 2019 Wimbledon champion kicked off preparations and revealed that in 2020 she will play only in Europe according a report from the Romanian branch of Eurosport.
Și-a antrenat serviciul spre exteriorul terenului,@Simona_Halep a pus pariu cu antrenorul sau ca nimereste semnele puse pe teren pe 20 de flotari si le-a lovit din prima. Va participa in 2020 doar la turneele din Europa. pic.twitter.com/BkzqwWsnM5
— Nedelcu Iulian (@IulianNedelcu) June 16, 2020
Halep had previously raised concerns about the current health situation in the United States.
“I certainly have big doubts about participating in such conditions. Not only because we are in a pandemic, but also because of the risk of travel, potential quarantine, and then the changes around the tournament,” Halep told the New York Times.
“I know that the organizers and sponsors want the tournaments to be played and that many players are going through difficult times, but it is a personal decision that we have to make. It is important to understand that everyone has different needs and that we have to make the optimal decision for our health and career.”
On Tuesday, New York’s Governor Andrew Coumo confirmed that the US Open will be held without fans from August 31 to September 13 despite New York City recording hundreds of new Covid-19 cases every day.