Japan's Kei Nishikori diagnosed with coronavirus ahead of US Open

Just two weeks before the commencement of this year's US Open, Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Confirming the news, the 30-year-old said that he has recently underwent COVID-19 test in Florida which came out to be positive.

"This morning while still in Florida, I got tested for Covid-19 and tested positive," BBC quoted the 2014 US Open runner-up as saying.

Nishikori revealed that he will now isolate himself before being undergoing another coronavirus test on Friday. The world number 31 further confirmed that he would also miss Western and Southern Open in Cinicinnati in the lead-up to US Open.

"I will have to pull out of the Cincinnati tournament at this time. Me and my team will get tested again on Friday at which point I will have another update,"he said on August 16.

As per the rules of America's public health authority, a person who tests positive for COVID-19 needs to isolate himself for 10 days.

This means, Nishikori's isolation will end on August 26, less than a week before the 2020 US Open.

Earlier, Switzerland's Belinda Bencic, Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios, 2019 US Open champion and current world number two Rafael Nadal, world No.1 Ashleigh Barty, defending champion Bianca Andreescu had all withdrawn from the Flushing Meadows tournament due to coronavirus fear.

The US Open, which will be the first Grand Slam of the year for players amid coronavirus,is slated to take place from August 31 to September 13.