The US Open will start on August 31, but due to fears of coronavirus infection, six tennis players from the top ten in the world rankings, including defending champion Bianca Andreescu and world number one Ashleigh Barty, withdrew. This gave Williams an easier way to win his first grand slam triumph since 2014.
The former first player in the world thinks that their absence will not reduce the value of her eventual success. “You still have to win on the court. And it doesn’t matter if your win is an asterisk,” Williams was quoted as saying by Reuters. “I think the whole season should have an asterisk, because we haven’t experienced anything like it,” she said.
“It’s a historic lesson for us, and no matter the circumstances, this year’s US Open will be an asterisk, because it’s never been played in such conditions before,” Williams said.
“On the contrary, I think if you win, you say to yourself: Wow, I won in crazy conditions without fans, in a sterile environment. It may be mentally more challenging than before,” she added.
Williams will attend the US Open even though she is also concerned about coronavirus due to long-term health complications. Therefore, during the tournament she will not live in a hotel for players, but she has rented a house. “I didn’t want to be in a hotel because of a lung problem, I would risk it unnecessarily. I have more control over it in the house, I don’t have to think about it and I can only focus on performance,” she said.
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