Tennis Australia considers moving all tournaments to Melbourne over coronavirus quarantine conditions
Continuing border uncertainty could result in Adelaide losing another of its biggest summer events.
SA News
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Adelaide faces a potential summer without tennis as officials consider playing all major tournaments in Melbourne over interstate coronavirus quarantine conditions.
Tennis Australia bosses are seeking assurances from state governments that players will be able to quarantine and travel easily to Victoria for the 2021 Australian Open in January.
But the Adelaide and Hobart internationals – and ATP Cup in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney – would be played in Melbourne either side of the Grand Slam if that was not possible.
Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said organisers were “under the pump” to safely get players into Melbourne from other states and would have to make a final call next week.
“We need two things – we need our quarantine and plans approved in each state and we need a commitment that the borders stay open,” Mr Tiley said.
“If we’re unable to get them approved, if we’re unable to get those commitments then we’ve got to seriously look at contracting everything to Melbourne.
“That assures us that all the players are in Melbourne for the Australian Open and we don’t run into the risk of them being stuck in other cities around Australia.”
Tennis SA tournaments and competitions manager Alistair MacDonald said the national governing body was looking at about half a dozen scenarios for this summer.
“At this stage we’re planning on running the (Adelaide International) in Adelaide and we’ve got confidence in that,” Mr MacDonald said.
“We’re working with the Government, we’re working with SA Health … we will continue to do everything we can but we won’t do that at the jeopardy of the Australian Open.”
Treasurer Rob Lucas said South Australia had a contract to host the Adelaide International and only its failure to deliver on that arrangement would result in the tournament going interstate.
“The Transition Committee and in particular the health advice I’m sure would be looking at how we can resolve the issue so that the event can continue,” Mr Lucas said.
“Clearly we want to see as many of our events being able to continue as best as we can.
“The Government is not contemplating at this stage the what ifs because we’re contemplating how we can deliver it safely in the interests of public health of South Australians.”
A renovated Memorial Drive hosted the inaugural Adelaide International in January and Australia’s Davis Cup qualifiers against Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2019 and Brazil in March.
The prospect of no tennis follows the postponement of the 2021 Tour Down Under and cancellation of the Adelaide 500 Supercars street race in the past week.
Opposition spokesman Tom Koutsantonis said Adelaide’s last remaining major sporting event of the summer appeared potentially lost to the coronavirus pandemic.
“This lays bare the sort of risks we face with the loss of a major established event such as the Adelaide 500 and why Premier Marshall’s decision to axe the event was so foolish,” he said.
“An event such as the Adelaide International that relies so heavily on international competitors – just like the Tour Down Under – of course is at risk, and I can’t believe Steven Marshall didn’t factor this into his thinking when he axed the Adelaide 500.”