Argentina’s Guido Pella and Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien could miss the US Open after being placed in quarantine for 14 days due to their fitness trainer testing positive for COVID-19.
The United States Tennis Association confirmed that a non-player had tested positive for the virus with the tournament in New York scheduled to start on August 31.
It is not clear when the duo were placed into quarantine, but due to the two-week isolation period they are both at risk of missing the Grand Slam.
The fitness trainer tested positive within the “bubble” that is hosting the Western & Southern Open, followed by the US Open at Flushing Meadows.
Organisers of the Western & Southern Open said two players who were in close contact with the infected person had been placed in quarantine and removed from the tournament field.
Although they were not identified, the world number 35 Pella and number 94 Dellien both posted videos on Instagram confirming they had tested negative for the virus, but had to be placed in quarantine.
It is yet unconfirmed whether Pella and Dellien will be removed from the US Open field.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to several withdrawals from the US Open this year, including reigning singles champions Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu.
Six of the top 10 women’s players, including Romania’s number two Simona Halep, have withdrawn due to safety concerns, but Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and American Serena Williams are both confirmed to play.
Djokovic, a 17-time Grand Slam champion and a three-time US Open winner, had previously come under fire for not taking the virus seriously when he helped organise the Adria Tour.
This led to a number of top players, including himself, testing positive for COVID-19.
Japan’s Kei Nishikori, who made the final of the US Open in 2014, has also tested positive for the virus ahead of the event and could now miss the tournament.
Despite the withdrawals, US Open officials have claimed the line-up for the event “exceeded expectations”.
The hard court tournament will take place without fans.
The US is the worst-hit country by COVID-19 in the world, recording more than 5.7 million cases and at least 176,000 deaths, but New York is thought to have largely brought the virus under control.
