Fernando Verdasco: “If the situation in the United States improves, I’ll go to the US Open”
Fernando Verdasco became the latest player to express doubt about his participation at the US Open on Thursday but the Spaniard says if the situation in the United States with Covid-19 improves, then he intends to play.
Fernando Verdasco during his match against Andy Murray on Day 3 of the 2018 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday August 29, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Verdasco defeats Murray 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
The former world No 7, who will make his debut in Ultimate Tennis Showdown when UTS2 begins this weekend, is worried about the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in the US, and whether the US Open will be able to take place, as scheduled, from August 31 at Flushing Meadows. Verdasco discussed his hopes and fears in an interview with Tennis Majors.
What are your plans for the re-start of the season?
“I don’t know at the moment. It’s a little unclear. Two days I thought I could go to play the tournament in Washington but in the end, it was cancelled. The situation in the United States is very bad, it’s worse day by day with the Covid-19 pandemic, there are more and more cases. We still don’t know if the US Open and Cincinnati can be played in New York. The organisers are still planning on both events for now, but we’ll have to wait until the last minute to make a decision.”
If the situation improves and the US Open happens, will you play?
“If the US Open is played, we’ll have to see what the situation is in New York deciding if I go or not. If the situation is good and under control, I’m going to try to go there to play the US Open. Then I will return to Europe to play Madrid, Rome and Roland-Garros.”
If you play the US Open and then return to clay, you won’t have much time to adjust to the surface. How do you approach that?
“It’s a very complicated calendar, very busy. Having to follow up with Madrid, the week after the US Open, a Grand Slam, it’s something that’s never happened. The situation, with Covid-19, is very strange and we all have to adapt. But the players must also think about injuries that can happen if we decide to play the tournaments, on two different surfaces, and with the time difference. We have to think about our bodies, that’s the most important thing. I’m going to try to play all the tournaments. But if my body tells me to stop after the US Open, I won’t hesitate to skip Madrid, even though it’s my city and it will hurt my heart. The priority is health. We’ll see how it goes with this very busy schedule.”
