Djokovic and Nadal, will headline the men’s field which also includes former champions Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov and Marin Cilic.
Serena Williams will play in the WTA Cincinnati Open next month as she prepares for a possible US Open appearance, organizers said on Tuesday.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, who last week was named to next month’s Canadian Open roster, is joining the all-star field at the hard court tournament.
Williams, the 2014 and 2015 tournament winner, entered the tournament using her protected rating.
The former world No. 1, who played his first singles match of the year in a first-round loss at Wimbledon last month, is stepping up his comeback ahead of next month’s US Open.
She will be joined at the Aug. 13-21 tournament in Cincinnati by world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and former world champions including Victoria Azarenka, Madison Keys, Garbine Mugurusa and Karolina Pliskova.
The roster also includes Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, four-time Major champion Naomi Osaka and reigning US Open champion Emma Radukanu.
Meanwhile, the men’s draw includes newly minted Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, but unless the Serbian star changes his stance on refusing the Covid-19 vaccine, he won’t be playing.
Current US regulations bar unvaccinated foreign visitors from entering the country, and Djokovic has previously said he has no plans to back down from his position.
Earlier this month, he admitted he was unlikely to play in the United States unless the entry requirements changed.
“I would love to play the US Open, but if it doesn’t, it’s not the end of the world and it’s not the first Grand Slam that I have to pull out of,” Djokovic said.
Source By – The Times of India
