Simona Halep's return is strictly a red clay route—and unlikely to include the US Open's blue hard court.
Halep has committed to playing Prague next month. The International Series Praque Open on red clay is scheduled August 10-16th.
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"Hello guys, I look forward to play the tournament in beautiful Prague," Halep said in a video posted to Twitter. "See you in August."
Genie Bouchard has been granted a wild card into Prague.
The Wimbledon winner is set to return from the COVID-19 on the red clay of Palermo starting on August 3rd.
Successive tournaments on European clay make it highly unlikely the 2018 Roland Garros champion will uproot her game from the dirt mid month and travel to New York for the hard courts of the US Open, set for August 31st.
World No. 1 Ash Barty, Elina Svitolina and Kiki Bertens are among the other Top 10 women who have expressed concern about traveling to New York for the US Open as the Coronavirus surges in some parts of America and the prospect of a quarantine upon returning to Europe for clay season.
Twenty-three time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and former US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova are among the Top 10-ranked women who have said they plan to play the Open.
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