Pipe to miss Ladbrokes UK Open after positive Covid test

Justin Pipe

Justin Pipe will miss this weekend's Ladbrokes UK Open after receiving a positive test for Covid-19.

All players and event personnel involved in the 2021 UK Open underwent Covid-19 testing on arrival at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes on Thursday, with one positive test returned.

World number 47 Pipe was scheduled to play Luke Humphries in round three of the tournament on Friday afternoon, but will now be required to self-isolate in line with government guidelines.

As a result, Humphries will now receive a bye into the fourth round.

From the original field of qualifiers, Cristo Reyes and Florian Hempel have withdrawn for family reasons, and as such their planned opponents - Ryan Joyce in round three and Jitse van der Wal in round one respectively – also receive a bye.

Wesley Harms, Robert Marijanovic, Daniel Larsson, Michael Unterbuchner, Darren Penhall and Boris Kcrmar had also previously withdrawn from the event before the draw was made.

A field of 151 players will now be competing from March 5-7 in the £450,000 tournament in Milton Keynes.