Top-ranked Novak Djokovic is thinking of skipping the U.S. Open -- if it is played -- and instead returning to competition on clay ahead of the rescheduled French Open.
Djokovic tells Serbia's state broadcaster RTS that the restrictions that would be in place for the Grand Slam tournament in New York because of the coronavirus pandemic would be ``extreme'' and not ``sustainable.'' He says that ``as things stand,'' he would skip the U.S. Open and return to action in September on clay ahead of the rescheduled French Open.
Djokovic says most players he has talked to were ``quite negative'' about going to New York.
In other tennis news, Roger Federer will be out until the start of the 2021 season because of a setback in his recovery from surgery on his right knee.
Federer had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in February and had initially planned to be sidelined for at least four months.
with files from Canadian Press