Australian Open players and support staff set to exit quarantine

The first Australian Open players have left quarantine but others are furious about a clause keeping them inside, despite being told about it when they arrived.

The first of almost 1000 Australian Open players and staff have left quarantine, while others confused by their release date have bemoaned remaining in their rooms.

Officials began allowing “residents” who had served 14 days to leave the hotels from 6pm Thursday, with the remainder to filterout by Sunday.

But some stars still in quarantine hit out at being kept in their rooms until midnight of their last day.

It is understood that detention notices given to players on arrival detailed their first day of quarantine was not the day they arrived, but the next full day.

They will be eligible for release from midnight after serving two weeks in quarantine.

The condition is understood to have again angered the 72-strong playing group in hard lockdown, including world No 50 Tennys Sandgren who mocked Tennis Australia online.

“I just found out we’re not going to be able to leave the room til midnight which will put us at close to 15 days in this room,” he said.

“It’s also another day we can’t practice.

“That’s play Saturday, Sunday, Monday and play a match Tuesday - a match a competitive tennis match.

“After 16 days off we get three days hitting and then a tennis match.

“My name’s Tennis Australia and I’m sooooooooo coool.”

COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria confirmed in a statement that 960 Australian Open “residents” would be “exiting quarantine over the coming days”.

“Players and participants will begin departing from 6pm this evening, with the last departures expected to be complete by Sunday,” the authority said.

Australian Open tennis players leave their Melbourne quarantine hotels after 14 days in lockdown. Picture: Ian Currie

They must have returned a negative day 13 coronavirus test result and be asymptomatic to leave their hotel, while those in hard quarantine require a COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria letter of clearance.

Players and staff will receive an ‘end of detention’ notice under their hotel room door that informs them of their 30-minute window to check out.

The Australian Open crew will effectively live by the same rules as everyone else once they leave, and have been briefed on places they must wear a mask, including while receiving physiotherapy.

It’s believed the Grand Hyatt, where some will be staying, will be a ‘red zone’ until all participants have left on Saturday morning.

Dutch player Wesley Koolhof leaves the View Melbourne in Albert Park. Picture: Ian Currie

They have the option of remaining in quarantine until then – after which they can leave, then their room will be cleaned – or stay in Tennis Australia-organised alternative accommodation before checking back in on Sunday.

Members in hard quarantine, including 72 players, were identified as close contacts of a positive test across three of TA’s 17 charter flights that landed in Melbourne and Adelaide.

They haven’t left their hotel room for the duration of their stay, whereas players in soft quarantine were able to leave for five hours a day to train.

When Australian Government orders u to stay another extra day just because 🤷🏼‍♀️ #AusOpen #AustralianOpen #Quarantine pic.twitter.com/LiieUTpoiq

— Oksana Kalashnikova (@OksKalashnikova) January 28, 2021

The Herald Sun revealed this week that players leaving hard quarantine will be given priority access to courts and court times to help make up for their training shortfall.

Spain’s Paula Badosa is the only player to test positive and won’t be able to leave her health hotel until next week, while Australia’s Ellen Perez arrived later and also won’t exit quarantine until then.

However, Eddie Elliott – the coach of American Lauren Davis – has already left quarantine after being the first person associated with the tournament to test positive on the plane from Los Angeles.

Elliott’s early departure was a topic of consternation among quarantined players this week, as reported by the Herald Sun.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Brett Sutton, clarified that people were no longer considered infectious 10 days after being diagnosed.

Originally published as Australian Open players and support staff set to exit quarantine