A mysterious illness, now dubbed ‘the US Open bug’, has been spreading rapidly among players at the prestigious US Open tennis tournament.
This unforeseen health crisis has caused significant disruptions, with several players reporting flu-like symptoms and others being forced to retire due to severe stomach pain.
Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur, 29, was one of the first to report feeling unwell. After her second-round win over Linda Noskova, she confessed to reporters that she felt like a ‘zombie’ on the court due to persistent coughing and other symptoms.
Despite taking every medication recommended by the tournament’s doctors, Jabeur’s performance was significantly affected, leading to her defeat in straight sets by China’s Zheng Qinwen.
Just watch a USOpen match. This tennis player played a 3 set match while she was sick with some unknown virus. She sat on a bench,touched towels,and touched tennis balls , a stadium full of people. The official should have stop the match. But didn't Really NYC king of lockdown. pic.twitter.com/5zrklEUJ14
— MIchael Stahl (@michaeljstahl24) August 29, 2023
Austria’s Dominic Thiem also fell victim to this mysterious illness. He was seen showing signs of discomfort during his second-round match against Ben Shelton, eventually withdrawing due to stomach pain.
Similarly, the Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova reported stomach pain before her match against Caroline Wozniacki, which she ultimately lost.
American player Tenny Sandgren, 32, openly admitted on Twitter that he had contracted the ‘US Open bug’. Despite his efforts to stay in the competition, Sandgren was eliminated during the qualifying round.
Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, 26, also showed signs of illness on the court and sought treatment from the tournament’s medical staff before losing to Jack Draper.
The spread of the illness has not been limited to the players. Persistent sniffing, coughing, and sneezing were heard from within the crowd and on the court.
Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg tweeted about the noticeable increase in coughing and sniffling among those in the press room and player lounge.
Former tennis brat John McEnroe played an exhibition match last week at the open and came down with virus as such he has been banned from the commentary box:
Clearly virus is spreading around the open: pic.twitter.com/OkmO8CeCw9
— Chris Turnbull (@EnemyInAState) August 31, 2023
Adding to the concern, tennis legend John McEnroe disclosed that he tested positive for COVID-19 on the second day of the tournament.
This revelation has led to fears that the spread of the illness could be linked to the COVID Pirola variant. However, players and fans are not required to test for COVID at the US Open, raising questions about the potential for further spread.
This outbreak cast a shadow over the US Open, with players and spectators alike hoping for a swift resolution. As the tournament continues, all eyes will be on the organizers and how they handle this unexpected health crisis.
