US Open 2020 to go Ahead Without Fans Amid Coronavirus: New York Governor

The US Open tennis championship will go ahead as scheduled in August without fans, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday.

"The @usopen will be held in Queens, NY, without fans from August 31 to September 13," Cuomo wrote on Twitter.

"The US Tennis Association will take extraordinary precautions to protect players and staff, including robust testing, additional cleaning, extra locker room space, and dedicated housing & transportation," he added.

On Monday, world number one Ashleigh Barty said that she does have concerns about the US Open which is scheduled to start on August 31 behind closed doors.

Reports on Monday said the USTA is set to confirm the tournament will go ahead without fans despite New York City recording hundreds of new coronavirus cases every day.

US Open tournament director Stacey Allaster had said organizers have been trying to figure out how to "engage fans virtually," making it unlikely that fans or at least large groups of fans will be allowed to attend.

Under proposals to get the tournament started, players would need to prove they had tested negative for COVID-19 before traveling on charter flights the USTA would organise from a handful of cities. There would likely be daily health questionnaires and temperature checks, along with occasional nasal, saliva or antibody testing.

(With agency inputs)