25 August 2020

2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko pulls out of US Open

Jelena Ostapenko is the latest tennis star to withdraw from the US Open.

The 23 year-old from Latvia won her only major at the 2017 French Open and is currently ranked world No 42. 

She last played on the WTA Tour in February at the Qatar Open where she reached the last 16.

The US Open is the first major to be staged since the coronavirus pandemic halted the sport in March. 

Six of the world's top ten women including world No 1 Ashleigh Barty, world No 2 Simona Halep and the reigning US Open champion Bianca Andreescu have all pulled out of the major event over coronavirus concerns.

World No 5 Elina Svitolina, Kiki Bertens and Belinda Bencic have also withdrawn.

But those who are set to play include 23-time grand slam champion Serena Willians, 2018 US Open winner Naomi Osaka, Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin and world No 3 Karolina Pliskova. 

The event is due to begin on August 31 at Flushing Meadows in New York City. 

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