Even the best tennis players are no match for this mistake.
A mysterious “US Open bug” is circulating among the star athletes of this year’s tournament, resulting in surprising upsets and withdrawals as athletes struggle to fight on the court with coughing fits and stomach aches.
“I am a zombie because I have the flu,” Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur, 29, said at a news conference on Thursday after defeating Linda Noskova in three sets.
The No.5 seed was visibly ill throughout the match, being seen coughing and sometimes even struggling to reach the ball on difficult shots.
“I’m on a lot of medication,” the No.5 seed in the conference admitted, adding that she “basically took all the medication” the tournament doctors could offer her.
Jabeur, who was teased by China’s Zheng Qinwen over the weekend, is one of many players affected by the so-called “US Open bug” since the tournament opened at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the USTA on August 28.
Ons Jabeur struggled through three sets on Thursday.Getty Images
Emil Ruusuvuori, a 24-year-old Finn, withdrew before his first round match due to an unspecified illness.
Austrian Dominic Thiem, 30, later withdrew in the second set of their second-round match on Wednesday after collapsing at the net with a stomach problem, the outlet reported.
Czech player Petra Kvitová, 33, also complained of stomach pains before finally losing to Caroline Wozniacki on Wednesday, Tennis World reported.
I got the US Open bug… somehow I still feel like I’m at the tournament but at home 😂
– Tennys Sandgren (@TennysSandgren) August 31, 2023
“I got the US Open bug… in a way I still feel like I’m at the tournament, but at home,” said Tennys Sandgren, 32, who failed to advance beyond the qualifiers. he tweeted on thursday.
“There is definitely a bug going around [at the Open]”, he added in a separate post.
Also Thursday, Polish player Hubert Hurkacz, 26, had problems on the court and was treated by medical personnel before finally falling to Jack Draper, the New York Times reported.
During the match, snorting, coughing and other signs of illness were heard throughout the tennis court, the outlet added.
Dominic Thiem collapsed to the net due to stomach issues on court last week.Getty Images
Players have also been seen with scarves in their bags.
Off the court, legendary former tennis player and analyst John McEnroe reported on the second day of the tournament that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
“I’m watching the US Open from home and can’t wait to get back to work soon,” McEnroe said via ESPN.
McEnroe’s diagnosis and the proliferation of worrisome symptoms among players have raised concerns that the tournament could be a superspreader of the COVID Pirola variant, which experts say is spreading rapidly.
Spectators are not required to wear masks at the crowded tournament. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The players, who are in close quarters and share many facilities, are not required to take a COVID test at the Open, the Times noted.
Spectators are also not required to provide proof of vaccinations, wear masks, or get tested before attending.
“It would be nice if players who feel bad would wear masks or something like that. I don’t know if it’s something related to COVID, but normally at sporting events like this, these things can easily spread,” No.1 seed Iga Swiatek, 22, said ahead of the second week of the tournament, according to Tennis World.
“I’ve already had a few colds this season and that has had a big impact on me, so at a Grand Slam I definitely don’t want to make those mistakes. I also watch what I eat. It is important for me to be aware of everything and prevent it, ”he added.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn