Serena Williams has announced her intention to take part in this year's US Open, while the ATP and WTA Tours have revealed revised schedules and plan to start again on separate dates in August.
Williams endorsing the US Open, which is set to be held behind closed doors between 31 August and 13 September and will be the first major tournament to go ahead amid the coronavirus pandemic, is a major boost for organisers.
The 23-time grand slam champion's comments are in stark contrast to men's world number one Novak Djokovic saying recently that proposed safety protocols are "extreme" and make it "impossible" to play, while Rafael Nadal, who lifted the men's trophy at Flushing Meadows last year, has said he has no desire to travel overseas currently.
Women's world number one Ash Barty has also raised concerns about playing in the tournament while Nick Kyrgios said the USTA was being "selfish" by opting to go ahead with it.
However, speaking remotely at a United States Tennis Association news conference, 23-time Grand Slam winner Williams said: "This announcement has been on my mind all day but ultimately I really cannot wait to return to New York and play the US Open 2020.
"I feel the USTA is going to do a really good job of ensuring everything is amazing, perfect and everyone is safe. It's going to be exciting, it's been over six months since a lot of us have played professional tennis.
"I'll certainly miss the fans, don't get me wrong, just being out there in the New York crowd and hearing everyone cheer, I'll really miss that and getting me some tough matches. But this is crazy, I'm excited."
Cheers mate, you've really looked after the players during this time. Seriously 🤦🏽♂️ fk me, how about you have a collaborative effort with us, potato https://t.co/6CWQ9vuNGa
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) June 17, 2020
World number two Simona Halep said earlier that she was is "highly unlikely" to play in the US Open with organisers set to put strict health protocols in place for the Grand Slam due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a spokeswoman for the Romanian has confirmed.
"Given the conditions outlined in the U.S. Open announcement this morning, as of today I do not currently plan to play in NYC," Halep said in a statement.
Halep, however, said she could reconsider her stand if the situation improved by the entry deadline in mid-July and has informed the USTA and the women's WTA Tour of her decision.
The men's ATP Tour and women's WTA Tour also issued revised calendars today for the resumption of professional tennis.
The ATP has announced its revised calendar, starting on Friday, 14 August, with the Citi Open in Washington while the WTA Tour is provisionally scheduled to begin again on Monday, 3 August, at the Palermo Ladies Open in Italy.
Both tours have been suspended since early March because of the coronavirus pandemic but are set to resume in late summer, with either reduced fans or none on site.
The French Open will be pushed back a week, and is now scheduled to take place from 27 September to 11 October, but organisers have "absolutely" rejected the scenario of playing the tournament behind closed doors, the president of the French Tennis Federation said today.
Bernard Giudicelli said all of the tickets sold for the tournament in its original 24 May - 7 June dates had been reimbursed but tickets for the new dates of 27 September - 11 October would go on sale at the end of this month.
Asked if the notion to have Roland Garros completely empty of spectators had been binned, Guidicelli replied: "Absolutely".
"It will be a number, a percentage which will be defined by mutual agreement with the public authorities," he added, when asked how many fans will be allowed.
In 2019, there were 520,000 paying spectators at the tournament.
