Australian Open: Player unease behind delay to officially confirm February 8 start date

A date has been set for next year’s Australian Open but disquiet among the game’s stars is holding up an official announcement.

John Millman is on the ATP Council. Picture: Getty Images

A pushback from the men’s controlling body over quarantine restrictions is behind the delay in official confirmation of next year’s Australian Open.

There is renewed confidence that within the next 24-48 hours the Victorian Government and Tennis Australia will reach agreement for a February 8 start to the season-opening Grand Slam.

It’s understood the ATP have been the most vocal about the quarantine restrictions for the tournament which includes a two-week lockdown with a five-hour training block each day.

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Grievances were aired on a phone hook-up last week with a majority of the ATP Council, which includes Australia’s John Millman, and up to 30 other players.

An informal vote on whether they were willing to play the Australian Open is believed to have been put to the council with a majority against making the trip under the proposed quarantine conditions.

It’s believed one of the major supporters for the Open going ahead was former world No.1 Andy Murray.

Millman recently completed the extreme 14-day hotel lockdown in Sydney after returning from a four-month overseas tour that included the US Open and French Open.

He was voted into the ATP Council in October along with Murray, Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime and France’s Jeremy Chardy.

Andy Murray is understood to support the Australian Open going ahead. Picture: AAP

South African and two-time Grand Slam finalist Kevin Anderson heads the 12-member ATP Player Council, which also includes 20-time Grand Slam champions Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

The women’s players’ body, the WTA, is understood to have been more receptive to the conditions which Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley outlined via email last week.

These included five COVID tests during the hotel lockdown with the players only allowed out to train following a negative test result on day one.

The five-hour breakdown was explained as two hours on court, two hours in the gym and one hour on site at Melbourne Park for nutrition/dining.

They were also only allowed to have one member of their entourage (coach or personal trainer) with them at the practice court.

Victorian Sports and Tourism Minister Martin Pakula said on Wednesday he remained “very confident” the tournament would take place in February.

“We’re getting closer every day,” Pakula said.

“We’re continuing to talk with Tennis Australia and the chief health officer and indeed the Commonwealth.

“I’m very confident the Australian Open will go ahead. I’m very confident it will go ahead in the first part of the year but we’ve just got a few Is to dot and Ts to cross and hopefully that’ll happen in the next few days.”

TA were hoping for Melbourne Park crowds to be between 25 and 50 per cent of normal capacity but that may be increased after Thursday’s announcement that the Boxing Day Test at the MCG would now have 30,000 in attendance.