Coronavirus pandemic

'Sitting out for the people'

Kyrgios withdraws from US Open over virus concerns, hits out at 'selfish' players

Nick Kyrgios reacting during his fourth-round loss to Rafael Nadal at the Australia Open in January. The Australian would play just one more match - at the Mexico Open in Acapulco in February - before the coronavirus pandemic halted the ATP season.
Nick Kyrgios reacting during his fourth-round loss to Rafael Nadal at the Australia Open in January. The Australian would play just one more match - at the Mexico Open in Acapulco in February - before the coronavirus pandemic halted the ATP season. PHOTO: REUTERS

SYDNEY • An emotional Nick Kyrgios pulled out of the US Open yesterday for "the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lost their lives" because of the coronavirus pandemic.

His decision follows fellow Australian and women's world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, who last week withdrew from the Aug 31-Sept 13 hard-court Grand Slam in New York, citing "significant risks" amid the current climate.

"Dear Tennis, 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," Kyrgios said in a Twitter video. "But I'm sitting out for the people, for my Aussies, for the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lost their lives, for all of you."

More than 157,000 people have died from Covid-19 in the US, with over 4.7 million infections since the pandemic's outset in March.

Kyrgios, ranked just world No. 40 but still considered to be a major draw-card, last month blasted the ATP Tour as "selfish" for pressing ahead with plans for the Flushing Meadows event.

He tempered criticism of the organisers during his video statement, saying he had "no problem" with it being held, citing the need to keep non-playing personnel like restaurant workers, cleaners, and locker room attendants employed.

But Kyrgios had strong words for some of the top names in the game, delivering a veiled jab at those who took part in Novak Djokovic's recent ill-fated Adria Tour exhibition. The lack of safe distancing measures and the staging of after-event parties led to positive Covid-19 tests for the world No. 1 and fellow players Viktor Troicki, Grigor Dimitrov and Borna Coric.

"Tennis players, you have to act in the interests of each other and work together," said the 25-year-old. "You can't be dancing on tables, money-grabbing your way around Europe or trying to make a quick buck hosting an exhibition - that's just so selfish. Think of the other people for once, that's what this virus is about."

Those same fears over Covid-19 will be of the utmost concern for WTA Palermo organisers today.

The clay-court event marks the first time in five months that a pro tennis tournament is being staged after both the women's circuit and the men's ATP Tour were halted in March due to the pandemic.

Organisers confirmed on Saturday that a qualifier, reported to be 140th-ranked Viktoriya Tomova of Bulgaria, had been infected, but insisted the event would still be going ahead.

Top seed Petra Martic is hopeful nothing else will derail the competition. "It's been so long without tennis, without competition, without the adrenaline that we all kind of love," she said.

"To be back on the court right now is really just a privilege without thinking about any results or any goals or focused on numbers or anything else."

The 15th-ranked Croat is the top draw after Wimbledon champion Simona Halep of Romania had to withdraw owing to travel concerns. After Palermo, the WTA will move to Prague from next Monday.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 03, 2020, with the headline 'Sitting out for the people'. Subscribe