India’s top tennis player, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, is unsure if he will be participating in the US Open. The Grand Slam will be starting August 31.

This is due to the COVID-19 pandemic that is plaguing the world. Unsure of his plans,  the 132nd ranked player might qualify for the main draw of the Grand Slam, which will not have qualifying rounds, due to the withdrawal of some top players.

In New York, where the tournament will be hosted, Covid-19 is far from being under control.

Speaking with TOI in an interview, the Indian said he would have to inform the government to arrange his travel for the tournament if he is favourably placed in the draw.

Prajnesh, who further stated that he had planned not to play any tournaments before the US Open, said he intended to travel to Europe for a couple of tournaments before French Open in a bid to find his feet on clay. He also said that if his US Open plans fall through, he will travel to Europe earlier than planned.

After the organizer, USTA (United States Tennis Association) announced that the tournament would go on between 31 August to 13 September, Prajnesh was part of the players that criticized them for proceeding with its plans amid a pandemic and without qualifiers.

But he seemed to have changed his mind because he was sure the association would adhere to the strict safety protocol.

On the qualifiers being canceled, the 30-year-old said it’s unfair to the lower-ranked players who won’t have the chance to compete for the main draw of the tournament. As a result of this, Prajneh pointed out that the gap between the top and lower-ranked players will widen.

While noting that a lot of would have suffered if the tournament is not going to hold, Prajnesh added that the rules and regulations showed how much they care about the players’ safety.

Written by: Oladipupo Mojeed