Out of the US Open, Ash Barty weighs up Paris visit amid Covid concerns
Australian star Ash Barty will be the first world No 1 since Serena Williams in 2010 to miss the US Open
When Ash Barty thought of the welfare of the team that helped to the top of the rankings, there was never really any doubt that she would opt to skip the US Open.
The world No 1, who will play an exhibition set in Cairns on Saturday, readily acknowledges there is far more to her success than simply the brilliance of her serve and ground strokes.
A broader team has helped Barty harness her world-beating ability, from coach Craig Tyzzer to mindset mentor Ben Crowe, from her agent Nikki Mathias to her family and friends.
The health of anyone of that team, and also to herself, is something the Queenslander was not prepared to risk with the pandemic raging throughout America.
Midway the 2019 Australian Open, her coach Tyzzer was hospitalised in Melbourne for a couple of days with a severe infection, which added a personal element to the Team Barty decision.
US officials have worked hard to produce COVID-19 guidelines they are confident will hold up throughout a period where Flushing Meadows will also host the Cincinnati Masters.
But that does not completely alleviate the risk, particularly for Australians given the likelihood they will have to travel to London en route to New York to enter a bubble.
“My team and I have decided that we won’t be travelling to the US for the Western and Southern Open and the US Open this year,” Barty said.
“I love both events, so it was a difficult decision, but there are still significant risks involved due to COVID-19 and I don’t feel comfortable putting my team and I in that position.”
Barty’s decision comes in a week where former Australian Open semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov outlined the simpact coronavirus has had on his health over the last month after he fell ill in June.
A US Open doubles champion two years ago, Barty is the first No 1 to miss the tournament since an injured Serena Williams in 2010.
But she will almost certainly be joined on the sidelines by some other top players.
The past two winners of the US Open, Canadian Bianca Andreescu and Naomi Osaka from Japan, along with Simona Halep also opted against entering the relocated Cincinnati event.
There is no word yet on whether any or all of those grand slam champions, along with 2018 WTA Finals champion Elina Svitolina, will compete in the US Open at the same venue a week later.
Barty, who has been practising in Brisbane, is yet to make a decision on whether she will travel to Paris to defend the French Open in September.
The event will have a reduced capacity of fans in attendance but there are clear concerns given a recent surge of COVID-19 in countries such as Spain and a rise in clusters in France.
A recent decision by the tours in regards to rankings points means Barty will not be penalised should she opt out of playing for the remainder of this year.
Those competing can make inroads on Barty, who holds a 2,641 ranking point buffer on world No 2 Simona Halep, but the Australian will not have points subtracted from her tally.
As much as the Australian enjoys playing in New York and Paris, she also adores Cairns, where she will spend the next two days and feature in an exhibition against Lizzie Cabrera.
The duo, along with John Millman and John-Patrick Smith, will attend the launch of the Cairns International Tennis Centre, which has recently had a roof installed.
Millman is among the Australians who will travel to America, with the former US Open quarter-finalist saying he will be on a plane on August 15 despite concerns.
“I don’t know if the situation is great there in the United States, but the show must go on,” he told RSN 927.
“I know the team at the USTA are trying to do everything possible to make it as safe an environment as possible.
“I think it is a bit of foreign territory for everyone. For those people who decide to make the trip, I think they will be holding their breath a little bit, but it is exciting to think we will be back playing some tennis.”
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Australian tennis star @johnhmillman joined us to tell us how the next month or 2 will play out for him https://t.co/JCjFumGFA8
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