Serena Williams remains committed to playing the US Open later this month and is also open to travelling to Europe for the clay-court season.

Williams announced she would be playing in the forthcoming grand slam in New York this summer, but since then a host of top names have pulled out of the tournament due to fears over Covid-19.

Defending men’s champion Rafael Nadal and women’s number one Ashleigh Barty are the highest-profile withdrawals, but Williams says she will still play before travelling to Europe for the French Open the following week.

“I see myself doing it all if it happens,” she said ahead of her appearance at the Lexington Open in Kentucky next week.

“But I am not planning for the future, as tournaments got cancelled I was just like, ‘Let me just work on today and see what happens’.”

Williams, who suffered health complications during her labour in 2017, was a self-confessed “recluse” during the lockdown and took strong precautions.

“I have been a little bit of a recluse. I started social distancing in early March,” she said. “I don’t have full lung capacity so I’m not sure what would happen to me. I am sure I would be OK but I don’t want to find out.

During the lockdown, separated from her coaching staff and phsyios, the 38-year-old resorted to building her own tennis court and gym.

“Tennis is naturally a social distanced sport,” she said. “It was easy for me to walk on my side of the court and my hitter to walk on the other side of the court.

Source : Sky Sports

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