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Another former champion withdraws from cursed US Open

By Alex Hyman

Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia returns the ball to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during the semifinals of the Qatar Total Open tournament in Doha, on February 28, 2020. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP) (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images)
Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia returns the ball to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during the semifinals of the Qatar Total Open tournament in Doha, on February 28, 2020. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP) (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images) /
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The US Open is set to start August 31st, despite numerous high profile withdrawals including Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. The latest former champion to withdraw is 2004 titlist Svetlana Kuznetsova. What does this mean for the first Grand Slam back since February?

Svetlana Kuznetsova announced her withdrawal from the US Open over Instagram.

"“I made a difficult decision to refuse to participate in Cincinnati and the US Open”."

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDtp_48Ixmr/

Kuznetsova beat Elena Dementieva 6-3 7-5 to win her maiden Grand Slam title in New York in 2004. Her only other Grand Slam title came at the 2009 French open where she beat Dinara Safina.

Svetlana Kuznetsova US Open 2004
Svetlana Kuznetsova holds the winner’s trophy after defeating Elena Dementieva, 6-3, 7-5, in an all-Russian, women’s singles final September 11, 2004 at the 2004 US Open in New York. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) /

An out of sorts US Open

The Russian’s announcement comes at a time when the legitimacy of the US Open is being severely questioned following the withdrawal of many of the best players in the world.

ATP player Dominic Thiem has said the US Open is “worth less with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer missing”, and who could disagree with him.

The eventual champion of the 2020 US Open, male and female, are bound to have thoughts that play down their achievement due to the best players in the world not competing for the same prize.

Looking at the positives

To look at it from the other side, players deciding to travel to New York and compete at Flushing Meadows will have the unique chance to play for a Grand Slam title without the presence of some of the top players.

On the men’s side, players should be more eager than ever to compete at the US Open as chances like this have not come often. The last time a main draw of a Grand Slam was played without both Federer and Nadal was the 1999 US Open. That’s 21 consecutive years! What more incentive does a player need?

On the women’s side, there has got to be motivation for many players to compete too. World #1 Ashleigh Barty is not competing, along with fellow top ten players Elina Svitolina (#5) and Kiki Bertens (#7). Still, there could be more to come.

Next. Western and Southern Open: Warm up for US Open. dark

It is going to be an unfamiliar US Open, that’s for sure. It remains to be seen which ATP and WTA players are willing to grab the golden opportunity of a shot at a Grand Slam without tennis’ greats.

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