The US Open kicks off on August 31 in New York, as the first grand slam tournament since the corona pandemic paralyzed the world.
However, the tournament will not be as star-studded as we are used to at grand slam championships. Today, the Romanian world number two Simona Halep announced that she is dropping out of the tournament, and she was only the last in the line of several big stars who chose not to participate in the tournament.
"Not as high status"Tennis oracle Björn Hellberg is not surprised by the mass defection.
- I had rather thought that even more people would drop out, he says, and tells that he thinks it is a wrong decision to carry out the tournament:
- I do not think it is right to play. Not considering how many have dropped out.
In the future, how do you think this tournament will look like? What legitimacy does the winner get?
- Whoever wins here, both on the men's and women's side, will remain the winner. But you also know that there are several who have given up, but it is not as high status as if it had been under normal conditions.
"It is very strong"Hellberg believes that those who drop out are doing exactly the right thing.
- I think it is very strong of those who dare to quit, he says.
- I think it is honorable of them not to take any risks.