'I rather not travel': Defending champion Rafael Nadal pulls out of US Open

Matches will be played behind closed doors and New York governor Andrew Cuomo had assured that robust testing will be conducted so that the tournament goes ahead smoothly

Defending champion Rafael Nadal has announced that he won't be playing the US Open, citing concerns over the coronavirus.

The world number two men's tennis star also criticised the revised calendar for tennis and labelled it as "barbaric".

"After many thoughts I have decided not to play this year's US Open. The situation is very complicated worldwide, the COVID-19 cases are increasing, it looks like we still don't have control of it," Nadal said in a tweet.

"We know that the reduced tennis calendar is barbaric this year after 4 months stopped with no play, I understand and thank for the efforts they