OPEN’S SET TO BE SHUT

New ATP delay adds to Flushing Meadows fears

THE US Open has been plunged into doubt after the Citi Open in Washington DC was cancelled.

The tournament, due to begin on August 13, was set to kick off the ATP tour following its suspension in March.

Uncertainties regarding the coronavirus pandemic, including various international travel restrictions and a large infection rate in the United States, have seen the Citi Open pulled.

That puts massive doubt over the chances of the US Open being played, with it scheduled to begin at Flushing Meadows in New York on August 31.

Citi Open chairman Mark Ein said on the ATP Tour website: “After months of tireless work by our team and close collaboration with our many stakeholders, we are heartbroken to announce that we must unfortunately postpone the 52nd Citi Open until the summer of 2021.

“With only 23 days left until the start of the tournament, there are too many unresolved external issues.

“Those include various international travel restrictions as well as troubling health and safety trends, that have forced us to make this decision now in fairness to our players, suppliers and partners, so that they can have certainty around their planning.”

There is one now just tournament scheduled to be played before the US Open, the Western & Southern Open at the same site on August 20 .

The ATP has said it is in close contact with United States Tennis Association (USTA) over the staging of those two events.

A number of top players, including Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, have already expressed serious doubts over playing at Flushing Meadows, although Serena Williams has committed to taking part.

But it is now possible that the entire American hard-court swing could be wiped out, with a resumption in the rearranged European clay-court season in September.