Tennis news - Novak Djokovic considering skipping US Open due to coronavirus restrictions

Updated 10/06/2020 at 13:52 GMT

World number one Novak Djokovic says he will consider skipping this year's US Open due to the restrictions they are intending to introduce to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Novak Djokovic | Tennis | ESP Player Feature

Image credit: Getty Images

In an interview with the Serbian state broadcaster, the 2018 Flushing Meadows champion said: "For me currently, as things stand, most probably the season will continue on clay at the beginning of September."

The US Open - a hard court tournament - is scheduled to begin on August 31.

Djokovic added that he thought other players would make a similar decision, saying: "Most of the players I have talked to were quite negative on whether they would go there [to New York]."

US Open

Evans dismisses Djokovic's US Open concerns: 'His argument is only valid for top players'

09/06/2020 at 10:41

The 17-time Grand Slam champion had already said last week that he thought the US Open's proposals were "extreme" and "impossible".

The suggestions included restricting players' travel within the state of New York and stopping them visiting Manhattan, and limiting them to one team member accompanying them on site.

He also objected to the idea of quarantining players on arrival in the USA, concluding: "I don’t think that is sustainable.”

A decision on whether the tournament will take place is expected later this month.