Australian Open 2021: Victorian Government confident any delay to start of tournament will be minimal
Despite the complex details around a quarantine period causing problems, sporting fans can still count on the Australian Open being played during the Aussie summer.
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The Australian Open could still be served up in January with the world’s top tennis players to be subject to “rigorous” quarantine requirements.
Victorian Minister for Sport Martin Pakula said he was confident the opening Grand Slam of the year would take place close to its scheduled start date of January 18.
“I am still confident we will have an Australian Open and we will have one in the early part of the year,” Pakula said.
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“There are a number of potential dates on the table. I have seen reports suggest it’s likely to be delayed by a week or two, I think that is still most likely but its not the only option.
“The French Open was delayed by many months and Wimbledon didn’t occur at all.
“I still think it’s much more likely that it will be a shorter rather than a longer delay.”
The question of the quarantine process has been at the heart of “complex” negotiations between Tennis Australia, the ATP and WTA and the Department of Health, Human Services and Justice.
There has been a suggestion tennis players, who have already been told they aren’t allowed to arrive until January 1, would be allowed a shorter quarantine period than the current strict 14-day.
Another option has them allowing to operate in a “practice bubble” during their isolation.
“They will be in quarantine, the exact nature of that quarantine, whether or not it is their own bubble or something more common is still part of those conversations,” Pakula said.
“People need to bear in mind there will be an extremely rigorous testing regime that will apply to the tennis players both before they leave the port they are coming from and when they arrive.
“And then I imagine consistently through the time they are in their bubble.
“I don’t want you to take from that there will be a shorter quarantine, there will be a number of differences around the amount of testing that they do and some of the rigour around that than would normally be the case.
“And I’m asssuming public health will take that into account when considering the total nature of the quarantine process.”
The tennis world is anxiously awaiting a decision with newly crowned ATP Finals champion Daniil Medvedev the latest to raise his concerns about travelling to Melbourne Park.
Medvedev warned of the dangers of being restricted in training by strict quarantine issues in Melbourne.
“If, for instance, you weren’t able to compete or to train during quarantine just ahead of the tournament, I don’t think the tournament is going to happen,” Medvedev said.
Djoker anti-vax dilemma: Should a COVID jab be compulsory?
Andy Murray believes that tennis players should be required to have a coronavirus vaccination before they are allowed to take part in tournaments.
With the 2021 tennis schedule facing inevitable issues with the COVID-19 pandemic, three-time Grand Slam winner Murray hopes the long-awaited vaccine will be available by the spring and that a compulsory programme is rolled out within tennis.
“I think that probably should be the case. I would hope that all the players would be willing to do that for the good of the sport -- providing everything has proved to be safe, clinical trials and everything have been done and there are not any significant side-effects,” Murray said.
World number one Novak Djokovic generated headlines earlier this year for anti-vaccination comments.
He later said that he was not against vaccinations but did not like the idea of being forced to have one.
Murray admitted it would difficult to force players to take a vaccine, but he hopes common sense prevails.
“I guess it would be difficult. I also read a few weeks after he’d said he (Djokovic) wouldn’t be keen on doing that, if it was something that had to be done for him to play the sport, he would,” Murray said.
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“So I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the ATP and the ITF (International Tennis Federation) decide their position is going to be on that. But I’m confident that players would be into it if it meant the tour going back to normality.”
Strict quarantine rules in Australia have cast doubt on the viability of the Australian Open, with players not able to arrive in the country until the end of December at the earliest and then required to quarantine for two weeks.
Discussions are ongoing over whether they will be able to train or compete during quarantine, and Murray is anticipating that the tournament will be pushed back from its planned start date of January 18.
“It’s obviously tricky for the players. Originally, we planned to go on the 12th or the 13th of December to arrive around the 15th,” Murray said.
“Then that changed and the latest I’ve heard is that they’ve planned to push it back a couple of weeks. I think that would be the best-case scenario now.”
PLAYERS VOICE CONCERNS AT AUS OPEN ‘DANGERS’
Newly-crowned ATP Finals champion Daniil Medvedev has voiced his concerns about playing at the Australian Open.
Medvedev has warned of the dangers of being restricted in training by strict quarantine issues in Melbourne ahead of the season-opening grand slam.
Tennis Australia and the Victorian government have been locked in talks since the weekend as they try and find common ground in staging the tournament, which is scheduled to begin on January 18.
That is now highly unlikely with the start date set to move at least by a week, possibly even into February, given the government won’t allow players to arrive any earlier than January 1.
A decision on the quarantine requirements for the Open is expected within the next 24 hours.
Medvedev, who defeated US Open champion Dominic Thiem in the year-ending tournament in London, said his Australian Open plans were “really uncertain”.
“I’m going to go to Australia when we can to avoid any circumstances that would change your mind about competing there,” Medvedev said.
“If, for instance, you weren’t able to compete or to train during quarantine just ahead of the tournament, I don’t think the tournament is going to happen.
“(I’m) not complaining that it’s boring or something like this, it’s just that going out from the room after 14 days of not doing anything and (then) playing five sets right away, I think would be really dangerous for the health of any sportsman.
“At least from what was said before, we would be able to practice on tennis courts and practice physically, which is really important.
“I don’t think it’s going to be possible for anybody to go there (if they) will need to stay in the room for 14 days.”
Many different scenarios have been thrown around to limit the number of people - normally there is at least 1500 - converging on Melbourne Park for the tournament.
Already the Australian Open junior championships have been axed while there are suggestions the normal qualifying tournament will also be put on ice.
Broadcaster Channel 9 is pushing for only a one week delay which would see at least some part of the tournament take place in the school holidays.
There are also issues with scheduling with any delay to the opening Grand Slam of the year impacting ATP and WTA tournaments scheduled for February.
Earlier in the week 20-time grand slam winner Rafael Nadal called for patience on any decision surrounding the first major of 2021.
Tennis Australia chief executive and Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said on Sunday that officials are working feverishly to finalise the summer of tennis “as soon as possible”, but conceded that safety outweighs the need for an immediate decision.
“Our intention is to deliver a summer in conditions that allow players to prepare and perform at their best, and the fans to enjoy their efforts – all in an environment that is safe for all concerned,” he said.
“We are working closely with the Victorian Government on a plan that takes into account the needs of players, fans, our partners and staff, and is a major benefit to the Victorian and Australian economy.
“We are continuing our urgent talks with local health authorities regarding quarantining and biosecurity requirements and are confident we will have a decision soon.
“Tennis Australia is acutely aware of the need for certainty, but also conscious of reaching a solution with the state government that ensures the safety of the entire community.”
General public ticket sales had been set to begin on Thursday, but Tiley said that on-sale dates and crowd sizes would be announced “within the next two weeks”.
Nadal, who is playing at the ATP Finals in London, said while it was “difficult”, players could do little but wait.
“I don’t know what’s the situation going to be yet,” he said when asked if he had considered any circumstances in which he would not travel to Melbourne.
“We need to wait about what the (state) government there in Victoria says.
“We can’t do much from ATP position or just wait. We have nobody to say what they feel is better for his country.
“We just need to be patient and accept the situation that we are facing.
“That is difficult for everyone. We need to be flexible to understand the situation and to find a way to play as many tournaments as possible next year.”
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday having international arrivals resume from December 7 was a positive, but there was “some complexity” to the amount of people who could arrive for the tournament.
“This is a very important event, and one that we’re working closely with Tennis Australia (on),” Andrews said.
“They, in turn, are speaking with their global partners, media partners (and) sponsors, and when we have an announcement to make, we’ll make it.”
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