Reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep said Sunday she had not yet decided whether to play at the US Open but added she dreaded "tough conditions" posed by the journey. "I haven't made the final decision yet," said the 28-year-old Romanian, who will be playing a WTA tournament on a clay court in Prague next week. "The travelling from Europe is a little bit tough with changing flights -- we don't have straight flights -- so it's going to be tough for me personally, mentally," she told a video conference.

"I don't want to put myself into that stress. As I said I haven't decided yet, but the conditions are tough for me at this moment." World number one Ashleigh Barty has said she is skipping the US Open amid the virus spread, just like Kiki Bertens, Elina Svitolina or Rafael Nadal. Halep, who pulled out of the first post-lockdown WTA tournament in Palermo this week over virus concerns, is now in Prague as the top seed. This is her first trip abroad since February as she spent the lockdown in her native Romania. "I'm a bit nervous but things are very controlled here and very safe so I feel safe," said Halep. The organisers of the Prague tournament put all players and staff in a single eight-storey hotel booked for the occasion to reduce the risk of COVID-19 contagion.