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Rafa Nadal is ready for the US Open after a surprise move

Current US Open champion Rafa Nadal surprisingly opted to play at New York’s Western & Southern Open next month, the opposite of the Aussie Ash Barty, signaling his intention to take part in the Flushing Meadows.

Videos of the Grand Slam champion’s 19th clay training also surfaced, leading many people to assume he would focus on the French Open a few weeks later.

But the current champion, along with world number 1, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, entered New York’s Western & Southern Open next month, which will serve as setup for the US Open, organizers of the tournament.

“It’s a little worrying when you see that Rafa is practicing on clay. So it’s not a good sign, “he added.

“But Serena obviously said she will come, Bianca Andreescu will come, ex-champion Osaka will come.”

Djokovic initially had reservations about traveling to the United States with one team member, but the entourage has now been upgraded to three.

Six-time US Open Williams champion is the highest profile female player in the draw, missing from Ashleigh Barty’s number 1 in Australia and Simona Halep’s number 2.

The organizers of the 20-28 August event, transferred this year from Cincinnati because of COVID-19, said reigning champions Daniil Medvedev and Madison Keys.

Strong field alongside Nadal, Djokovic

The ATP Masters 1000 event will be the first in the men’s calendar since the game was suspended in March due to the virus.

Among the other first entries on the male side, which includes 40 of the 43 best ATP players classified, there are the number 3 in the world Dominic Thiem, the 2017 champion Grigor Dimitrov and Marin Cilic (2016).

The number 3 in the world Karolina Pliskova, who won the event in 2016, is the player with the highest score in the women’s ranking with 39 of the 53 best 53 players in the world.

The women’s WTA Tour will mark the return of the professional circuit from Monday with the Palermo Ladies Open in the Sicilian capital.

With AAP

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