In this Sept 6, 2021 file photo, Britain's Emma Raducanu serves to US player Shelby Rogers during their 2021 US Open Tennis tournament women's singles fourth round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. (TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

US Open champion Emma Raducanu has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss this week's Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, the 19-year-old Briton said on Monday.

Emma Raducanu, who became the first qualifier to win a major when she triumphed at Flushing Meadows in September, was due to face Olympics singles gold medalist Belinda Bencic at the Dec 16-18 event

Raducanu, who became the first qualifier to win a major when she triumphed at Flushing Meadows in September, was due to face Olympics singles gold medalist Belinda Bencic at the Dec 16-18 event.

"I was very much looking forward to playing in front of the fans here in Abu Dhabi, but unfortunately after testing positive for COVID-19, I will have to postpone until the next opportunity," Raducanu said.

"I'm isolating as per rules and hopefully will be able to get back soon."

Organizers said that they are looking at "alternative top female competitors" to replace Raducanu at the event.

In this June 11, 2021 file photo, Spain's Rafael Nadal serves the ball to Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their men's singles semi-final tennis match on Day 13 of The Roland Garros 2021 French Open tennis tournament in Paris. (CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT / AFP)

Men's world number six Rafa Nadal and last year's US Open winner Dominic Thiem are set to return from their injury layoffs in Abu Dhabi.

Britain's Andy Murray, Russian Andrey Rublev, Norway's Casper Ruud and Canadian Denis Shapovalov will also participate in the event before the 2022 competitive season kicks off in Australia.