Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley disputes players’ positive tests

The Australian Open boss has slapped down claims that two players have tested positive for COVID-19, contradicting a chief health officer.

American tennis player Desirae Krawczyk looks out from an Australian Open quarantine hotel in Melbourne. Picture: William West/AFP

The Australian Open boss has slapped down claims that any players have tested positive for coronavirus.

A media release from Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton on Tuesday afternoon revealed three of the state’s four new cases in hotel quarantine were linked to the tennis tournament and two of the positive tests were players.

“The new cases are one female in their 20s and two males in their 30s, all associated with the Australian Open, and one female aged in their 30s who is a returned traveller,” the media release read.

“The new positive cases linked to the Australian Open involve two players and one non-playing participant.

“That takes the total cases associated with the tournament to seven. Two cases were reclassified due to evidence of previous infection.”

The Department of Health and Human Services said the two confirmed cases of viral shedding did not change the hard lockdown provisions for players, coaches and other officials on the affected flights.

Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said no players had tested positive.

“As yet, none of the three affected flights have been cleared as a result of the two reclassified cases,” the statement said.

But just hours later in his daily update to reporters, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley disputed claims that any players had been diagnosed with coronavirus.

“Of those six, plus one, which was the flight attendant, none of them are players, (they are) players’ entourage, coaches,” he told reporters.

“As far as (players) testing positive and going to the medi-hotel – no, none.”

Mr Tiley said the cases were not acute but likely viral shedding but deferred to health authorities to provide those details.

Men's world number one Novak Djokovic gestures from his hotel balcony in Adelaide. Picture: Brenton Edwards/AFP

Tennis players head to training from their quarantine hotel. Picture: Ian Currie

“There have been some players on the viral shedding list,” he said.

“Again, I’ll have to leave it to Quarantine Victoria to give those numbers. They're not big numbers. It’s a few.”

Anyone who tests positive while in hotel quarantine is moved to a medi-hotel where they receive more intensive medical care.

There remains 72 players in hard lockdown after arriving in Australia on three flights that included COVID-positive passengers.

The DHHS has been contacted for clarification.

[e-mail]