Australian Open 2021: Tennis players receive COVID-19 test results

The last of more than 500 COVID-19 test results from the Australian Open entourage are in — and it’s welcome news for organisers.

Ash Barty is scheduled to play on Friday. Picture: Michael Klein

The Australian Open has received a welcome boost with more than 500 players, coaches and officials tested for COVID-19 receiving negative results.

Open organisers announced on Friday the remaining 12 tests had returned negative results after the tournament’s preparations were thrown into chaos when a security guard tested positive.

Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley earlier said organisers were waiting on the 12 tests to come back negative before the entire international tennis entourage is given the all clear from COVID-19.

Speaking on 3AW this morning, Tiley said just a dozen of the 507 tests were yet to come back, with the other 495 resulting in a negative test.

“So far everyone is negative, we’ve got a few pending as a result of being tested late last night,” Tiley said.

“Hopefully in the next few hours we get the positive outcome that they are all negative.

Officials have staged a whirlwind of catch-up matches on Friday, with the added complication of a potential Melbourne thunderstorm.

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Tournament organisers confirmed on Thursday the Open would go ahead. Picture: AFP

Thursday’s schedule was turfed out when a security guard tested positive for COVID-19, days after working at the Grand Hyatt, where Australian Open players and support staff were in quarantine.

Instead, it was a tennis-free day, with 507 Australian Open participants – 160 of them players, including Australians Matt Ebden and Blake Mott – undergoing coronavirus tests at a special testing centre.

Tiley confirmed on Thursday afternoon they intended to push on with completing the six events being run at Melbourne Park this week.

Lead-in matches must be finished by Sunday at the latest, given the Australian Open starts on Monday.

The Open’s draw was also pushed back from Thursday night to Friday afternoon.

Almost 70 matches are scheduled from 10am on Friday, including some players having to back up for two singles appearances.

Australians Nick Kyrgios, Jordan Thompson, Alex Bolt, James Duckworth and Alexei Popyrin are among the players facing that scenario if they win their first match on Friday.

Nick Kyrgios could have to play two matches on Friday. Picture: Getty Images

However, the remaining women’s singles contenders, including Ash Barty, who is first-up at 10am, aren’t scheduled to do that, at least on Friday.

WTA matches will be best-of-two sets for the duration of this week’s events, with a 10-point match tie-break, if required, for the final set.

Making matters more difficult is there’s a 95 per cent chance of rain, so Tiley is anticipating closing the roof on applicable stadiums and using Melbourne Park’s indoor courts.

“This does give us three days for the lead-in events to complete. Obviously, tomorrow (Friday) we have some challenging weather, so we have to work around that as well,” Tiley said.

“We do have the luxury of having three stadium courts and eight indoor courts, so 11 courts we can continue matches on … and that will enable us, not to get ahead, but at least be able to finish by Sunday.”

Serena Williams on Margaret Court Arena. Picture: Michael Klein

Another twist is the Hawk-Eye Live technology, or electronic line-calling, being used in place of linespeople won’t be available on the indoor courts.

The Herald Sun understands they will use several tournament officials on each court to judge the lines for indoor matches.

Fans are being asked to bring a mask with them and may need to wear them for matches with a closed roof.

“We will have spectators today, we are still selling tickets,” Tiley said.

“The site will be an extremely safe place, there’s contact tracing set up, there’s zones, there’s physical distancing.

“At this point there’s no change to our position on crowds.”

Originally published as Australian Open 2021: Tennis players receive COVID-19 test results