Kei Nishikori pulls out of US Open despite recovering from coronavirus

In another blow to US Open, Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori has pulled out of this week's Grand Slam tournament despite recovering from the novel coronavirus.

Image Credits: Twitter/@keinishikori

In another blow to US Open, Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori has pulled out of next week's Grand Slam tournament despite recovering from the novel coronavirus.

Earlier, the 30-year-old was forced to withdraw from the ongoing Western and Southern Open--a tune-up event for US Open--after being first diagnosed with COVID-19 on August 17.

On Wednesday, Nishikori issued an official statement to confirm that he has tested negative for the dealy virus after two positive results before adding that he has decided to skip this year's US Open as he is not fully ready for the tournament.

"I am happy to announce that I tested negative for Covid. I will slowly pick up my practice schedule tomorrow," Nishikori said in his official website.

"Having said that, I (together with my team) have decided to skip the US Open this year. After such a long break, I feel  that returning in a best of 5 long-match setting is not smart until I am fully ready to do so," the 2014 US Open runner-up added.

On August 21, Nishikori had revealed that he undertook another COVID-19 test which returned with positive result.He, however, had added that he had minimal symptoms of the virus and that he was staying in full isolation in Florida.

Nishikori has now become the latest player to withdrew from the Flushing Meadows event after Switzerland's Belinda Bencic, Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios, 2019 US Open champion and current world number two Rafael Nadal, world No.1 Ashleigh Barty, defending champion Bianca Andreescu all pulled out of the US Open due to coronavirus fear.

The US Open, which will be the first Grand Slam of the year for players amid coronavirus,is slated to take place from August 31 to September 13.