06 June,2020 01:37 PM IST | Sydney | AFP
Ashleigh Barty during her Australian Open semi-final against USA's Sofia Kenin at Melbourne in January. Pic/ Getty Images
World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty voiced caution on Friday about resuming tennis too soon, saying she needed more information before committing to the US Open in August. The Australian, who surged to the top of the rankings last year and has stayed there since, said it was not just her but her entire team she must consider in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. "It's exciting that tennis is being talked about again and things are moving in the right direction for us to start competing," she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"But I'd need to understand all of the information and advice from the WTA and the USTA before making a decision on the US events." The WTA and ATP schedules have been on ice since March with action not set to resume until the end of July at the earliest. Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since World War II, while the French Open has been shifted from May-June to September-October.
A decision about the US Open - played in New York, which has been a hotbed for the virus - is yet to be made, but its main draw is scheduled to begin on August 31. Barty said she was concerned about travel exemptions for her support staff. While players could be exempt from a 14-day quarantine period, it remains unclear whether that also applies to their teams. "It's not just me, it's my team I have to consider," she said.
Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.
ALSO READ
Dope issue overshadows Sinner’s Davis Cup win
Moody's credit rating upgrade for Cyprus opens door to investment, president says
Sinner opens up about doping issue after winning trophy
US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz reaches another big final at ATP Final
US Open runner-up Fritz back in another big final and faces Sinner again for ATP Finals crown
Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever