VETERAN TENNIS ace Serena Williams, desperately attempting to equal the seemingly elusive record of 24 Grand Slam singles crowns at this month’s US Open, will warm-up in New York at the Western & Southern Open tournament.

The six-time US Open singles champion, who has had the Flushing Meadows surface shipped to her Florida home for practice, will compete in a depleted line-up of leading WTA players. The event has been moved from Cincinnati because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Terrific

The 38-year-old is aware that she has a terrific shot at winning events as so many top players seem skipping the circuit for the rest of this year. And numerous European-based WTA players, with most residing in the tax-free haven of Monaco, are turning their back on the American hard court season because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I really cannot wait to return to New York. I feel the organisers will do a really good job to ensuring everything is amazing, that everything is perfect and safe.”

Serena Williams

Five of the world’s top 10 players have already withdrawn from the US Open women’s singles with numerous others a serious doubt, which paves the way for Williams to match Margaret Court’s long-standing Grand Slam single record.

But if Williams is crowned champion her prize money will almost a quarter less than last year’s financial reward, although the multimillionairess won’t be too bothered that she would scoop US$3m (£2.28m) as part of the USTA’s reduction because of the lack of ticket money earned at the behind closed doors 2020 US Open event.

Start

Williams, competing in her 24th season on the WTA Tour, is provisionally seeded no.5 for the Western & Southern tournament that is set to start on August 22.

Her compatriots, 2017 US Open runner-up Madison Keys (no.8 seed) and teenage sensation Cori Gauff, are scheduled to play at the Western & Southern event before the delayed Grand Slam.

Last weekend the WTA resumed on the Italian island of Sicily for the first time since March, but an unnamed player was forced to withdraw after testing positive for coronavirus in the build-up to the Palermo Open. Yet the clay court event has continued, although not attracted the usual big guns that compete.

Cancelled

The prestigious ATP and WTA combined Madrid Open, which had been has been due to start on September 12, has been cancelled. Organisers were advised by the nation’s Health Ministry to shelve the tournament because of the Spanish capital’s deteriorating coronavirus situation, meaning that Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and the Netherlands’ Kiki Bertens will be unable to defend their respective crowns.

Williams, who has lost her past four Grand Slam finals including last year’s shock US Open defeat to Romanian Bianca Andreescu, seems undeterred about competing in back-to-back events and enthused: “I really cannot wait to return to New York and play the US Open 2020. I feel the organisers will do a really good job to ensuring everything is amazing, that everything is perfect and safe.”