Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal set for US Open 2020 after entering warm up tournament

With US Open 2020 set to begin on August 31, all eyes are on players to see who takes part in the tournament and who doesn’t. The participation of several players is doubtful as they have expressed their concerns regarding player safety in the past. However, in what will come as a boost for fans eagerly waiting for the US Open schedule to roll, tennis greats like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have dropped their strongest hint that they will be taking part in the tournament.

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Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal confirmed for the warm-up event

Both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have been listed as confirmed entries for the Cincinnati warm-up event. Other players included in the Western and Southern Open seeds list include Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev. The confirmation is a massive boost as it now appears that both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are set to appear at US Open 2020 at Flushing Meadows, which also plays host to the Cincinnati event.

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Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the tennis calendar has seen itself compressed in an unprecedented fashion, with concerns arising that players may pick and choose tournaments considering their safety and fitness levels. There has also been running talk amongst players that they may choose to opt-out of either the French Open or the US Open, owing to fitness concerns. The confirmation of Rafael Nadal in the Western and Southern Open seeds list is particularly surprising since the player had earlier confirmed his involvement in the Madrid Masters, which is scheduled right after US Open 2020.

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Rafael Nadal in the past had also expressed his reservations regarding travelling to the United States. On the other hand, while Novak Djokovic had earlier said that he was "very glad" that US Open 2020 was going ahead last month, his participation was also considered to be uncertain. But with his appearance confirmed in the warm-up event, it looks like the Serbian is likely to take part in the Grand Slam as well.

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Western and Southern Open details

The Western and Southern Open begins from August 20 and released its entry list on Wednesday which included some notable attendees. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will enter the tournament as top seeds. With the tournament considered to be a traditional preparation event ahead of US Open, the pair’s participation is the strongest indication yet that both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will likely be part of US Open 2020. While the tournament is typically played in Cincinnati, it has been moved to New York this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament will be held under quarantine conditions without spectators at the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, which will be followed by the US Open 2020 from August 31.

Image Courtesy: instagram/djokernole, instagram/rafaelnadal