A day ahead of the commencement of the 2020 US Open, the coronavirus scare loomed large over the grand slam at Flushing Meadows in New York as French tennis player and No. 17 seed Benoit Paire reportedly tested positive for Covid-19.

Paire is all set to become yet another notable absentee at the 140th edition of the tournament after many top players and previous champions like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer having already pulled out from the Grand Slam due to covid-19 concerns or injuries.

Seeded 17th for the Grand Slam, Paire touched down at New York last week to compete at the Western and Southern Open, a Masters series tournament which served as a build tournament for the US Open.

Paire did not look too bright during his opening round match at the Masters Series event and asked for medical help before retiring midway through the match. According to French sports daily L'Equipe, he eventually tested positive for Covid-19.

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L'Equipe further added that fellow Frenchmen Richard Gasquet, Adrian Mannarino, Gregoire Barrere and Edouard Roger Vasselin were also asked to self-isolate in their hotel rooms after Paire's positive test.

The 140th edition of the US Open is the first Grand Slam to take place amid the Covid-19 pandemic and will be only the second one to unfold after the Australian Open in January and February. It is notable that the Wimbledon Championships were cancelled for the first time since the Second World War while the French Open is scheduled for a September 21 start.

The US Open will be taking place behind closed doors in a bio-secure bubble without spectators at Flushing Meadows. Paire is the first within the bubble to test positive for coronavirus. A number of major stars, including defending men's and women's singles champions Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu have given the Grand Slam a miss.