Novak Djokovic has admitted he came close to pulling out of the US Open, but says he felt "responsible" to help the sport return to normality as he chases Roger Federer's all-time record.
The 17-time Grand Slam winner announced earlier in August he will be heading to New York for the two-week event which begins on August 31 despite concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
Several top-ranked tennis stars have already withdrawn, citing a health risk to themselves and their team if they travelled to Flushing Meadows, with the United States the worst-affected nation in the world in terms of confirmed Covid-19 cases.
Roger Federer will not be present after undergoing knee surgery, while Rafael Nadal made the decision not to defend his US Open title. In the women's draw, Naomi Osaka and Karolina Pliskova are the only non-US players in the top 10 who will be competing.
But Djokovic, 33, says he felt a duty to play once he was cleared by medical staff and suggested closing in on Federer's collection of 20 Grand Slam singles titles was a motivating factor.
"I cannot say it's the main reason why I'm here, but it's one of the reasons," Djokovic told The New York Times, adding that he came very close to skipping the tournament as well.
"I have to think about myself and my health and my fitness and whether my team is OK to be here.
"Once that was checked, then I, of course, also felt responsible as a top player to be here, it's important for our sport to keep going.
"I want to play... That's why I'm here. I'm personally not afraid of being in a risky, dangerous health situation for myself. If I felt that way, I most likely would not be here."
Additional reporting from Reuters
