Russia's Daniil Medvedev had no doubts about playing this year's US Open in New York despite the novel coronavirus pandemic causing several high-profile players to withdraw from both sides of the draw.
The world No 5 is the third seed in the men's draw, behind Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem, for the Grand Slam tournament that starts on Monday.
"I don't think I ever really doubted playing here," Medvedev, 24, told reporters at Flushing Meadows on Saturday. "I was almost sure I will come here.
"Safety was a priority for everybody [but] as soon as everybody really got the information of how it's going to be here I think everybody decided to go."
Medvedev added that he felt safe with the bio-security measures put in place by tournament organisers, which includes playing without crowds.
"I think to get infected here is really tough," he said. "I think it's a good bubble."
While the men's draw has lost Nadal, who beat Medvedev in five sets in last year's final, 20-time grand slam winner Roger Federer and 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka, the Russian is not prepared to get too far ahead of himself repeating this year.
"When I come into the slam, my goal is to win seven matches," he said ahead of his first-round clash with Argentina's Federico Delbonis on Tuesday.
"But I take it match by match."
Prior to this week's Western and Southern Open, which was played in New York, Medvedev had not played since February due to the Covid-19 shutdown.
He made the quarter-finals of the event, which is normally played in Cincinnati, and felt he was as prepared as he could be for the Grand Slam.
"There was a huge layoff," he said. "The three matches I played, I actually liked my level.
"Hopefully I can just show some great tennis [and] I will have my chances to go deep in the tournament."
