Australian Open 2021: 72 players and staff in quarantine as Novak Djokovic issues demands
Nick Kyrgios has lashed out at Novak Djokovic as the Australian Open COVID furore heats up. It comes as politicians hit back at whingeing tennis stars.
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Four more COVID positive cases – including one player – have been linked to Australian Open charter flights, with more players likely to be forced into hard lockdown.
The Australian Open furore escalated overnight, with Nick Kyrgios slamming Novak Djokavic on social media and revelations some players had discussed the men’s grand slam being reduced to a best-of-three-sets format.
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton confirmed the news in their Monday briefing, adding to the five existing cases from three arriving flights over the weekend.
Currently 72 players are confined to their hotel rooms, unable to access the five hours of practise time and training others can.
“I believe there’s one player among the four,” Sutton said.
It is understood that all 15 charter flights bringing competitors to Australia have now arrived.
“All four (cases) are associated with the tennis, and they’re all tucked away safely in hotel quarantine,” Mr Andrews said.
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“I know that there’s been a bit of chatter from a number of players about the rules.
“Well, the rules apply to them as they apply to everybody else, and they were all briefed on that before they came. And that was the condition on which they came.
“There’s no special treatment here, because the virus doesn’t treat you specially.
“So neither do we.
“This is a wildly infectious pandemic.
“There are rules that need to be followed.
“They will not be changed.
“And that’s the basis on which people came here.”
Mr Andrews was also asked about a list of requests submitted by world No.1 Novak Djokovic amid sweeping backlash from players.
Djokovic issued a letter to Tennis Australia urging tournament director Craig Tiley to support players, including:
— Fitness and training material in all rooms
— Better food for elite athletes, following players taking aim at the meals on offer
— Reduce the days of isolation for players in hard isolation and carry out more tests to confirm they are negative
— Permission to visit your coach or physical trainer, as long as both have passed the tests
— Grant both the player and his coach permission to be on the same floor of the hotel
— Move as many players as possible to private houses with a tennis court to facilitate training
Djokovic, a former president of the ATP Player Council who resigned to help set up the PTPA (Professional Tennis Players Association), tested positive for COVID-19 in June after organising a tennis exhibition series in Serbia and Croatia – a tour slammed by Kyrgios.
Kyrgios on Monday night again made his feelings clear, taking to social media to criticise the world No.1’s list of demands.
“Djokovic is a tool,” the Aussie star tweeted.
Kyrgios also took aim at Bernard Tomic’s girfriend, Vanessa Sierra, after the model earlier revealed what she and Tomic have been doing in quarantine.
“I don’t mind Bernie but his Mrs obviously has no perspective, ridiculous scenes,” Kyrgios continued.
Djokovic is a tool. I don’t mind Bernie but his Mrs obviously has no perspective, ridiculous scenes 🤦ðŸ½â€â™‚ï¸ https://t.co/MMgeriH2GJ
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 18, 2021
Asked if anything would change as a result of Djokovic’s letter, Mr Andrews was firm.
“People are free to provide lists of demands. But the answer is no. And that was very clearly put. That was very clearly laid out beforehand,” he said.
“So the notion that there’s been any change, the notion that people weren’t briefed – I think that argument really has no integrity whatsoever, and don’t just take my word for it.
“You’ve got other players who, I think on social media and in other forums, have made it clear that they were clear on the rules. And I probably can’t be any plainer than that.”
Sports and Major Events Minister Martin Pakula said the government would not apologise for the fact players found the quarantine conditions “harsh”.
“I understand that players who expected to be able to practice and are now unable to practice, I understand that they’re unhappy,” he said.
“I would ask them to put that in some perspective. COVID is a global pandemic, there are a number of tournaments around the world that didn’t go ahead, there are others that went ahead without crowds.
“At the end of their 14-day period in their hotel, all going well they will still be able to condition and be able to play tennis for a living.
“It is a pretty good way to conduct your life.”
THE STORY SO FAR
The total number of cases linked to the Australian Open has now hit nine with 72 players in hard lockdown.
It has not been confirmed which flight the latest four cases on Monday were linked to.
Passengers on flight QR7485, which arrived in Melbourne at 5.30am on Saturday, were involved in men’s qualifying.
Mr Sutton has determined the remaining 57 people on board need to isolate and will be confined to their hotel room for the 14-day quarantine period.
It’s the same fate as the 47 players who were on charter flights from Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi that returned a combined four positive coronavirus cases.
COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria confirmed late on Sunday night that the positive test was not from a player.
French player Alexandre Müller, who lost in final-round qualifying and travelled as an alternate, raised the alarm about the latest case.
The Herald Sun understands Western Australian teenager Tristan Schoolkate was on the flight, along with France’s Benoit Paire, Japan’s Taro Daniel and American Michael Mmoh.
However, fellow Australians Bernard Tomic, Andrew Harris, John-Patrick Smith, Jason Kubler and Dane Sweeny were among those on the previous flight from Doha.
Tennis Australia chief executive and Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley briefed the players about the situation on Sunday night.
PLAYERS WARNED OVER HOTEL BREACHES
Earlier on Sunday, a fourth positive case was returned by a member of a broadcast team – a third person on the LA flight.
After the Herald Sun revealed players faced heavy fines if they breached quarantine measures, Corrections Victoria confirmed it had warned a player and a staff member after “challenging behaviours”.
“(The player) opened his door to try and have a conversation with his training mates down the hallway,” Corrections Victoria commissioner Emma Cassar said.
“You can pick up the phone and use that instead of putting yourself and other people at risk.
“The other was another gentleman who shouted UberEats to some other people on the floor and was praising himself for his great efforts, and opened his door to do so. It is very low level, but they are dangerous acts that we cannot tolerate.
Allez hop ! A LA NICHE !!!!! pic.twitter.com/SkGdOfCGGH
— Alexandre Müller (@Alex2Mumu) January 17, 2021
“We take all breaches really seriously. For the players, that is a fine of up to $20,000, a warning from the police.
“But what we have also considered (on Sunday) is for those who are persistently breaching or not willing to remain in their rooms, our other option would be to transfer people to the complex care hotel, where there is a member of Victoria Police outside the door.”
Cassar said all positive cases would be transferred to the Holiday Inn “health hotel”.
THE OPEN IS STILL GOING AHEAD
Despite public backlash, a defiant tournament boss Craig Tiley moved to reassure the public that there were no plans at this stage to cancel the tournament.
It came after 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu’s coach, Sylvain Bruneau, confirmed he was the positive case aboard the second Australian Open flight in a statement.
“I am deeply sorry to share that I have just tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival here in Melbourne, after travelling from Abu Dhabi on flight EY8004,” Bruneau said.
“I have followed all the safety protocols and procedures, including testing negative within 72 hours before the flight departure and felt perfectly fine when I boarded the plane.
“I also respected and followed all COVID protocols and guidelines while in the Middle East. I have no idea how I might have contracted this virus.
“I am extremely saddened and sorry for the consequences now on everyone’s shoulders sharing my flight. The rest of my team is negative and I sincerely hope that any further disruption is kept to a minimum.”
There are no other known positive tests from the flight, but routine testing will continue for passengers across the next fortnight.
Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk was on board the flight and shared the news with her Instagram followers.
It is also understood Andreescu, Angelique Kerber, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Ons Jabeur, Belinda Bencic and Maria Sakkari were on board.
Bruneau arrived in Melbourne at 8.20am on Friday from Abu Dhabi, alongside other Australian Open players, support staff and attendees.
A *second* charter flight to #AusOpen has been compromised by a positive COVID test, this one from Abu Dhabi.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 16, 2021
Means a whole second raft of players is going to have to do a hard, room-only 14-day quarantine with no practice shortly before a Grand Slam.
What a mess. pic.twitter.com/bzotsTYjUV
He tested negative in his pre-departure test.
All remaining 63 passengers on the flight were designated close contacts, and any players and support staff won’t be able to train and must complete a mandatory 14-day quarantine period.
CARING FOR PLAYERS
Players are being supported to access equipment for their hotel rooms to help them maintain their fitness during this time.
However, it’s understood there isn’t an exercise bike in every room as other players who tried to leave their quarantine hotel rooms were warned if it happened again they would be placed in hard lockdown and fined.
Medical officers are in the process of identifying whether the positive cases are first-time positives or they are just “viral shedding” and no longer infectious, as in American Tennys Sandgren’s situation.
Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley said organisers were going to consider what to do with players’ preparation to try to work out what was “fair” for everyone.
He also revealed TA received a warning from the Department of Justice and Community Safety Victoria about players trying to leave their room.
Players will be fined and placed in hard quarantine if that continues to happen, Tiley said.
Victorian Minister Lily D’Ambrosio addressed controversy surrounding the positive results, with any players, officials and other passengers on board COVID-positive flights considered close contacts and required to complete 14-days in mandatory quarantine.
“We know that COVID knows no bounds and no boundaries, whether you’re a first class tennis player or a spectator in the audience,” D’Ambrosio said.
She added that “really clear protocols and really clear rules were set from day one” for anyone flying into Melbourne for the tournament.
“This is about keeping everyone safe,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.
“We need to keep to the clear health advice. It’s far from ideal but COVID is not ideal … Rules are rules, no matter who you are.”
Ms D’Ambrosio said players in quarantine were being made “as comfortable as they can be”.
Ok people, this is getting too much for me, so I will delete the tweet. Probably better for everyone 😊 Stay safe !
— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) January 16, 2021
This seems to be a very sensitive subject and I understand it. We are privileged, indeed, but please try to get our point of view too. And btw, I was not in this plane
— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) January 16, 2021
French player Alize Cornet suggested players and their entourage were not fully briefed on protocols before they boarded the charter flights.
She has branded the current situation “insane” and claims they were told each plane was divided into small sections that would be quarantined in the event of a positive result.
“Soon, half of the players from the AO will actually have to isolate,” she said on Twitter.
“Weeks and weeks of practice and hard work going to waste for one person positive to Covid in a 3/4 empty plane. Sorry but this is insane.
It gets worse: a coach just told me that there is another positive test on a flight to Adelaide. Apparently fitnesscoach of krajinovic (trains with djokovic) tested positive
— Jannik Schneider (@schnejan) January 16, 2021
Rumours that they made a bloodtest now to check if he is very contagious (so not everyone misses practice)
“We are also playing by the rules and doing the 14 days quarantine ourselves, with just 5 hours outside per day, safe and supervised, in order to work and be ready for the AO coming up. I just think that these measures are not made to hold an international tennis event.
“We’ve been told that the plane would be separated by section of 10 people and that if one person of your section was positive, then you had to isolate. Not that the whole plane had to.”
Corrections Victoria commissioner Emma Cassar stressed quarantine was for the players and public’s own good.
“Quarantine is hard and we know that it is a very new and difficult arrangement for them, probably very unusual circumstances to what they are used to,” she said.
“This is in place to keep them safe and keep the Victorian community safe, and we make no apologies for that.
“We need to make it clear to the players and their support crews that if they did something, do not come out of the room. And pick up the phone, we are there to help.”
HOW THE CHAOS STARTED
Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens and Kei Nishikori are among those who were aboard the COVID-positive flight from Los Angeles and are now confined to their rooms for 14 days and will not be permitted the five hours of practice time afforded players each day under the tournament’s COVID-19 protocols.
There were 79 people on-board the flight from LA and, of the two passengers who tested positive, one is part of the flight crew and the other is a member of a player’s entourage.
#AusOpen update... pic.twitter.com/p6IAXLz5zk
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2021
The two people who tested positive have been removed from player hotels and transferred to a health hotel.
Russian-born Kiwi Artem Sitak, one of the players now confined to his room, said the news was disappointing but everyone knew the risks involved.
“Very disappointing news from Tennis Australia, we are all deemed close contact,” he said on Instagram.
“I asked for a bike so hopefully I will get one and stay in shape. Hope to get out on January 29th and head into the ATP 250. it’s not great but that’s the risk we are all taking.
“Of course everyone had to have a negative test within 72 hours of flying so it’s unfortunate.
“Two weeks in the room, here we go.”
Others believed to have been on the flight include: Vasek Pospisil, Lauren Davis’ coach Edward “Eddie” Elliott, Guido Pella, Juan Ignacio Londero, Pablo Cuevas, Santiago Gonzalez and Tennys Sandgren.
News of the COVID positives has raised concerns over the safety of hosting the Australian Open in Melbourne have been further raised after all passengers from a specially chartered flight for the tournament were forced into strict quarantine after two people on board tested positive for COVID.
On Saturday January 16, the Herald Sun broke the news after being sent a leaked email from Tennis Australia to all passengers on board flight QR7493 which confirmed the positive results and outlined instructions from the chief health officer that everyone was obliged to isolate.
The email read: “Unfortunately we have been informed by the health authorities that two people on your flight from LAX that arrived at 5:15am on Friday 15 January have returned positive COVID-19 PCR tests on arrival to Melbourne.
“We know this is not how you imagined your preparations for the AO would start but our entire team is here to support and do everything we can to get your through this.
“You will soon be contacted by our medical experts Aspen Medical if you haven’t been already.
“They are available 24/7 to support you with all your medical, mental health or wellbeing concerns.
“The most important thing you need to know right now is you are not alone in this and we are here to provide you any extra support you need.”
The flight in question is the plane out of Los Angeles which made headlines after American player Tennys Sandgren tweeted he had been allowed to board despite returning a positive test.
His presence on the flight was cleared by Victorian health authorities and is not believed to be linked to the latest positives.
Sandgren aside, all passengers were required to present negative tests as a condition of flight.
It is understood the passengers in question recorded positive results after entering Australia.
One passenger is believed to be a player coach, the other is part of the flight crew. Neither is believed to be showing symptoms.
A statement from DHHS said: “An aircrew member and Australian Open participant who is not a player have been transferred to a health hotel following positive test results for coronavirus (COVID-19).
“Upon arrival to Australia all players are immediately placed in a secure quarantine environment for 14 days under the authority of COVID Quarantine Victoria and will undergo a more rigorous testing schedule than for most returning travellers.”
HOW DID ‘COVID POSITIVE’ STAR BOARD FLIGHT TO MELBOURNE?
Tennys Sandgren received special government clearance to travel to Melbourne despite twice testing positive to COVID-19.
The dual Australian Open quarter-finalist posted a frenzy of updates on his Twitter account that cast doubt on whether he would be able to leave Los Angeles for Australia.
Sandgren originally believed he wouldn’t be able to depart, then thought he would be delayed, before suddenly tweeting he was on the plane headed for Melbourne.
Tennis Australia was forced to clarify the baffling circumstances, given rules stated that players, support staff and officials must test negative before boarding any of the 15 charter flights.
Anyone travelling to the Australian Open who previously tested positive to the coronavirus, like Sandgren, must provide additional and detailed medical information as proof they are recovered or no longer infectious.
“In the case of Tennys Sandgren, who has self-disclosed that he previously tested positive in late November, his medical file had to be reviewed by Victorian health authorities,” TA’s statement read.
“Upon completion of that review, he was cleared to fly.”
An earlier TA response at the Herald Sun’s request stated that “some people who have recovered from COVID-19 and who are non-infectious can continue to shed the virus for several months”.
Police Minister Lisa Neville backed the Sandgren decision, tweeting: “No one who is COVID positive for the first time – or could still be infectious – will be allowed in for the Aus Open.”
Strict government guidelines demand all international arrivals be tested on landing, before isolating in their hotel – under COVID Quarantine Victoria authority – until they receive another negative result.
They are then tested daily throughout their mandatory 14-day quarantine period, during which they can leave their hotel room to train for a maximum of five hours a day.
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Originally published as Australian Open 2021: 72 players and staff in quarantine as Novak Djokovic issues demands
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