Alert: Benoit Paire, positive for COVID-19 and low for the US Open

As reported by the Parisian newspaper L'Equipe and later officially confirmed the oragización of the tournament, the French Benoit Paire, seed number 17, will not play the US Open having tested positive for COVID-19 in one of the corresponding analyzes prior to the American Grand Slam. The USTA issued a statement about 4:35 p.m. this Sunday (Spanish time) in which it confirms that “One player (did not say his name but is no longer in the men's singles) tested positive for COVID-19 at the US Open and was withdrawn from the tournament.” “The player is asymptomatic,” he adds. The US Federation clarifies that “the player has been informed that he must isolate himself for at least 10 days.” “In addition, contact tracing has begun to determine if someone should be quarantined for 14 days,” the letter concludes.

The 31-year-old tennis player retired on Saturday the 22nd in the first round of the Cincinnati Masters 1,000 when he lost 6-0 and 1-0 against Croatian Borna Coric. His null performance in that meeting would be justified if it is confirmed that he suffers from the disease that has the world in suspense since last March. Your French companions, Richard Gasquet, Adrian Mannarino, Grégoire Barrere and Édouard Roger Vasselin were isolated, like the victim himself, at the US Open hotel.

The loss of Paire leaves the American tournament without another of his favorites in terms of ranking, in a long list in which Nadal, Federer, Monfils, Fognini, Wawrinka, Nishikori, Kyrgios, Del Potro and Verdasco, among others, appear for different reasons. Paire was going to face the Polish Kamil Majchrzak this Monday in the first round. Who will do it in his place is Marcel Granollers, who enters as 'alternative' to be the doubles player with the best ranking (149th) of the tournament without a place in the singles main draw (only tennis players enter the tournament in pairs as there is no previous phase).