Novak Djokovic: 'Extreme' conditions for U.S. Open are 'impossible'

Novak Djokovic is currently the top-ranked tennis player in the world but in a recent interview, he expressed concerns about participating in the U.S. Open in August due to the extreme restrictions that are expected to be put in place due to the coronavirus.

"I had a telephone conversation with the leaders of world tennis. There were talks about the continuation of the season, mostly about the U.S. Open due in late August, but it's not known whether it will be held," Djokovic told Serbia's Prva TV. "The rules that they told us that we would have to respect to be there, to play at all, they are extreme. We would not have access to Manhattan, we would have to sleep in hotels at the airport, to be tested twice or three times per week."

Djokovic noted that players would only be able to bring a single person to the club, which he was very skeptical about.

"Also, we could bring one person to the club, which is really impossible," he said. "I mean, you need your coach, then a fitness trainer, then a physiotherapist. They want the tournament to go ahead at any cost for economic reasons, which I understand," he said. "But the question is, how many players are willing to accept those terms?"

Rafael Nadal, who is ranked second behind Djokovic, has also stated his concern about playing tennis in the U.S. and has implied that he would not be willing to travel for the U.S. Open.

"For me, [it] is very difficult to separate the status that the world is living from my real perspective on the world of tennis, no?" Nadal said. "We need to be responsible, we need to be sure that the situation is safe enough, and then of course try to come back to our tour when the things are clear."