BRITISH NO 1 JOHANNA KONTA WITHDRAWS FROM PALERMO OPEN- set eyes on US Open
British No one Johanna Konta has confirmed she will not participate at the Palermo Open next month in Sicily. Her withdrawal is coming a day after world No 2 Simona Halep had announced she will not participate at the event, which marks the restart of the WTA Tour, starting 3 August.
Konta who last played in March was shocked Monday by world No 14 Jodie Burrage at the Battle of the Brits. After the match, reports state she is switching her focus to playing in the new WTA Lexington, USA, Top Seed Open and she is also expected to sign up for the Cincitinnati Open.
The tennis stars expected to feature at the tournament are Serena Willaims and Sloane Stephens.
The 29 year-old, said “We haven’t had any {WTA player council} meetings for a few weeks but everything is pointing in the direction that it is going to go ahead”
On the USA Open “Just basing my opinion on all the information that is there, I think it probably will.” she said.
Meanwhile, Andy Murray said he is still feeling ‘’apprehensive’’ about travelling to New York for the US Open amid the Coronavirus pandemic but the former world number one says he is mentally preparing for the Grand Slam.
“Four or five weeks ago, we were pretty skeptical about it {the tournament taking place},” Murray said.
“But mentally at some stage you need to start preparing and planning for that, “If it wasn’t happening, my schedule for practising, my rehab, would all be a bit different. Mentally I’m planning for it to go ahead.’’
The USA Open starts on 10 August, the first Grand Slam since the Covid-19 pandemic.