A mysterious ‘bug’ has been spreading around at this year’s edition of the US Open, with a certain number of players either suffering shocking upsets or being forced to retire due to illness ahead of the start of the tournament’s closing stages this week.
Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur, 29, told reporters after her second round win over Linda Noskova on Thursday that she felt unwell during the match and struggled to bring her A-game onto the court due to persistent coughing and other syndromes.
‘I’m a zombie because I have a flu,’ said this year’s finalist at Wimbledon. ‘I’m taking a lot of medicine.’
Jabeur – the world’s No. 5 seed – added that she ‘basically took every medication’ recommended by the tournament’s doctors.
Her run at Flushing Meadows ended over Labor Day Weekend when No. 23-ranked Zheng Qinwen, of China, caused an upset in straight sets (6-2, 6-4).
Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur said she felt like a ‘zombie’ after going down with illness similar to the flu
Dominic Thiem, of Austria, showed signs of illness during his second round loss to Ben Shelton
Petra Kvitova, of Czech Republic, complained of stomach pain before her second round match
And just like Jabeur, other players have fallen victim to the so-called ‘US Open bug’ since the tournament started at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center on August 28.
Finland’s 24-year-old Emil Ruusuvuori had to declare forfeit before his first-round match due to an unspecified illness.
Dominic Thiem, of Austria, withdrew during the second set of his second-round match on Wednesday after looking unwell while leaning onto the net. It was later revealed that the 30-year-old was suffering from a stomach issue by The New York Post.
Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova also reported pain in her stomach before having to face Caroline Wozniacki on Wednesday, according to Tennis World. The 33-year-old ultimately lost in straight sets, 7-5 7-6.
‘I got the us open bug.. in a way still feels like I’m in the tournament but at home,’ said Tennys Sandgren, who was eliminated during the competition’s qualifiers, tweeted on Thursday.
‘Def a bug going around at the Open,’ he added in a separate post.
US player Tenny Sandgren, 32, openly revealed he had the ‘us open bug’ on Twitter last month
Sandgren was knocked out of the US Open last month when losing during a qualifying round
Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, 26, also showed signs of illness on the court on Thursday and sought treatment from the tournament’s medical staff before ultimately falling to Jack Draper, according to The New York Times.
During matches, persistent sniffing, coughing and sneezing, as well as other signs of illness, were heard from within the crowd and on the court.
Players have also been carrying tissues in their racket bags, as shown by US Open footage.
What’s more, is that tennis-great-turned-analyst John McEnroe disclosed that he had tested positive for COVID-19 on the second day of the tournament in August.
‘I’m watching the US Open from home & can’t wait to get back to work soon,’ McEnroe told ESPN.
US tennis great John McEnroe disclosed that he caught COVID-19 early on during the US Open
Tournament organizers fear that McEnroe’s diagnosis and the spread of troubling symptoms among players are the results of the COVID Pirola variant expanding, which experts have described as a health issue.
Players, who share many facilities among each other and stay not too far away from one another, are not required to test for COVID at the US Open, according to The New York Times.
Fans aren’t asked to provide proof of vaccination, wear masks, or test at stadium entry in Queens either.
‘It would be nice if those players who feel bad would wear masks or something like that. I don’t know if it’s something related to COVID, but usually at sporting events like this, these things can spread easily,’ No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek, 22, previously said, according to Tennis World.
‘I’ve already had a few colds this season and it’s 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’s important for me to keep an eye on everything and prevent it.’