US Open-Cincinnati Masters may be played as a doubleheader at Flushing Meadows in August-September

In a plan designed to help tennis move forward safely after the coronavirus outbreak, this year’s US Open and Cincinnati Masters is being tipped to be played back-to-back at Flushing Meadows.

The Cincinnati Masters could be moved to Flushing Meadows this year as part of a double-header with the US Open under a new plan proposed by American tennis chiefs.

The plan is designed to help the tournaments, two of the biggest annual tennis events in North America, move forward safely after the coronavirus outbreak wreaked havoc on the professional sports calendar.

Both tournaments have previously said they plan to move forward as scheduled, with Cincinnati set to run until August 23 and the US Open’s main draw beginning on August 31.

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Rafael Nadal will get a chance to defend his title.

The US Tennis Association (USTA) plan would see both competitions played in New York’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre back to back, according to a New York Times report, in order to minimise travel and risk for players and participants.

The men’s and women’s tours have reportedly been notified of the proposal.

The tennis world has slowly begun to resume action, with fans absent from stands.

World No.12 Petra Kvitova claimed victory in the women’s draw at an all-Czech tournament in Prague last week, in a slot on the calendar that was originally occupied by the French Open.

French Open officials rescheduled the clay court grand slam to begin on September 20, the week after the US Open was set to kick off, prompting frustration from many in the tennis world.