Why are high ranked Americans MIA in ATP, WTA Asian swing?
Tennis's fall Asian swing is underway, but there are many Americans not competing.
In the current ATP and WTA Asian swing tournaments, including the Japan Open and China Open, top American tennis players are notably absent. This is due to a combination of injuries and early tournament exits. Despite being among the top 35 ATP players, seven Americans have either withdrawn from competition or lost in the early rounds.
Ben Shelton, the ATP World No. 4, withdrew from the Japan Open, likely due to rest after a deep run at the US Open. Frances Tiafoe, currently ranked No. 8, advanced to the second round before falling to Arthur Fils. Taylor Fritz, ranked No. 12, lost his opening match to Jaume Munar. Learner Tien, ranked No. 15, was defeated by Hubert Hurkacz in the China Open. Tommy Paul and Brandon Nakashima, ranked No. 16 and 17 respectively, also exited in the first round of the Japan Open.
Meanwhile, on the WTA circuit, Coco Gauff and Iva Jovic are the only American players still competing. Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, and Emma Navarro are all out of the tournament. Anisimova and Navarro pulled out due to injuries, while Pegula cited fatigue, suggesting she may return for the WTA Finals. Keys' absence seems tied to her recent loss in the US Open, which could lead to her retiring from the season.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
