Naomi Osaka, Victoria Azarenka Non-Committal On French Open

After playing in the U.S. Open final on Sunday, it’s unclear where Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka will go next.

The French Open begins Sept. 27, but both players were non-committal about their plans for the year’s final Grand Slam.

“I was planning to play when I came here, but I guess I’ll see what happens,” Osaka said after winning her third Grand Slam title and second U.S. Open crown in three sets.

The French Open will allow a maximum of 11,500 spectators per day to adhere to strict health protocols and curb the spread of COVID-19. There are no fans at the U.S. Open this year.

French Open tournament director Guy Forget said Monday players must stay in two designated hotels “without exception” to reduce the risks from COVID-19.

On Saturday, French health authorities reported 10,561 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour span, a new daily record as the number topped 10,000 for the first time since wide-scale testing was launched in the country.

Serena Williams, who has lung issues because she battled blood clots and life-threatening pulmonary embolisms while giving birth to her daughter Olympia in September 2017, said she was concerned about the fans and hotel setup in Paris. She had hoped to stay in her Paris apartment.

“We’ll have to wait and see,” said Azarenka. “I’m kind of excited for that, to play on clay. I haven’t had the best relationship with clay seasons for years. Last year I kind of had a lot of fun. So I’m looking forward to just slide a little more.

“It will be very interesting for me to see how French Open is going to handle the situation with the bubble life, with the COVID now. I hope they will do a good job of protecting the players first rather than making money. So we’ll see.”