Jelena Ostapenko and Kei Nishikori withdraw from the 2020 U.S. Open

Jelena Ostapenko (Facebook)

Two more high profile tennis players have decided to pull out of the 2020 U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, New York, which starts Monday. They are 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, and 2014 U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori of Japan.

Ostapenko, who is currently ranked 41st in the world on the WTA circuit, has been as high as fifth in 2018. According to Claudiu Pop of Tennis World, Ostapenko believes it is just “too dangerous” at this time to be in the United States. There have been 463, 195 cases of coronavirus in New York state alone, along with 32, 994 deaths, and 62, 219 active cases.

At the 2019 U.S. Open, Ostapenko reached the third round after wins over Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia, and Alison Riske of the United States, but was then beaten by wildcard Kristie Ahn, 6-3, 7-5.  Ostapenko’s French Open title in 2017 is one of three career singles victories. She also won the 2017 Korea Open in Seoul, and the 2019 Luxembourg Open.

Kei Nishikori meanwhile recently tested positive for coronavirus. He has since tested negative, but has decided to pull out. According to tennishead.net, Nishikori feels he is simply not ready to play a tournament that includes matches that are best-of-five.

Nishikori, who is ranked 31st in the world, was as high as fourth in 2015. At the 2014 U.S. Open, Nishikori stunned the tennis world as he beat Stanislas Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic to reach the U.S. Open Final. There, he lost in straight sets to Marin Cilic of Croatia, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Nishikori has won 12 singles titles on the ATP Tour, with his last win coming at the 2019 Brisbane International. At the 2019 U.S. Open, Nishikori, like Ostapenko, reached the thrd round, before being defeated.

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