PRAGUE • World No. 3 Karolina Pliskova said on Friday that she was looking forward to playing at the US Open at the end of this month, bucking a wave of withdrawals due to coronavirus concerns.
"Even though I keep thinking the situation is changing every day, nobody knows what will come, but I really believe we will play," the 28-year-old told the Czech News Agency.
Her words are in stark contrast to a series of withdrawals from the tournament held in a country which has been hit the worst by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Top 10 players Elina Svitolina and Kiki Bertens on Friday became the latest to announce they were skipping the tournament. Another player who has withdrawn is world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty.
Four-time US Open champion Rafael Nadal is also staying at home, while Stan Wawrinka and Nick Kyrgios have said they will give the Grand Slam a miss.
Other big-name players who are still undecided on their participation include Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Andy Murray and Alexander Zverev.
Pliskova has a special fondness for the New York event in which she reached the final in 2016, her best Major result to date.
"The worst-case scenario would be if we left and they sent us back. We've already had this experience," she said.
In March, Pliskova travelled to the United States - only to find out the Miami and Indian Wells tournaments were scrapped over the virus outbreak.
She also waved aside the expected tight security measures at Flushing Meadows.
"I've decided I want to play and this shouldn't be a problem," said Pliskova, who even found an advantage to the planned restrictions. "I'm pretty tired. So I'm looking forward to closing my door... and being alone in my room for 24 hours."
Pliskova is skipping this week's WTA tournament in Prague, just like fellow Czech Karolina Muchova, the world No. 26, who is also getting ready for a trip to New York.
"Considering the calendar, we have started training on a hard court ahead of the trip to America and a tournament on clay doesn't really fit the plan," Muchova, who reached the third round in New York in the last two years, said in a statement.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
