MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd August, 2020) Australia's second highest ranking male tennis player Nick Kyrgios has become the latest star to opt out of the US Open tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I will not be playing this year at the US Open. It hurts me at my core not to be out there competing in one of the sport's greatest arenas, Arthur Ashe Stadium. But I'm sitting out for my people, for my Aussies, for the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lost their lives," Kyrgios said in a video statement posted on his Twitter account.
Kyrgios hit out at fellow tennis players who do not observe COVID-19 mitigation measures and have continued traveling and participating in exhibition matches "for a quick buck," thereby exposing people to the disease.
The 25-year-old also said that he had no problem with the US Tennis Association deciding to go ahead with the tournament, but called on all those who will take part to act safely and appropriately.
Over the past week, a number of high profile tennis players have announced they will not travel to New York for the US Open and its traditional opening tournament, the Cincinnati Masters, chief among them China's female number one Wang Qiang and world female number one, Australian Ashleigh Barty.
