Australian Open COVID-19 update: Craig Tiley email confirms players’ worst fears

Australian Open players were hopeful of having strict COVID-19 restrictions eased this week - but those plans have been dashed.

Craig Tiley is seen during an Australian Open media opp at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Wednesday, January 8, 2020. (AAP Image/Supplied by Tennis Australia, Fiona Hamilton) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Confirmation of three Australian Open COVID-19 cases with the mutant UK strain has caused tournament director Craig Tiley to delay increasing how many people players can be exposed to.

In a leaked email sent to players on Saturday night, Tiley said Tennis Australia wanted to do everything possible to “minimise the risk” for all competitors in quarantine.

Every player who can leave their hotel room to train has an allocated hitting partner for the duration of quarantine.

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Craig Tiley has sent an email to players saying Tennis Australia wants to ‘minimise the risk’ for all competitors. Picture: AAP

It’s believed the plan was to expand cohorts from two to four, meaning players could train with different people or even have doubles practice.

However, players were hesitant to do so, because of how strict the protocols are and the potential of having to go into hard lockdown for 14 days.

COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria revealed on Saturday that three previously reported cases linked to the grand slam had since been discovered to have the more infectious UK strain.

Two of the men are aged in their 30s and one in his 50s – but none are players.

“It is amid this environment that – after consultation with many of you – we have postponed the planned expansion of the cohorts,” Tiley wrote.

Men's world No.1 Novak Djokovic has been a vocal critic of the quarantine measures. Picture: AFP

“Having more people in your cohort is no extra risk to the local community, because you are all in quarantine.

“But we want to minimise the risk to each of you and that’s why we have delayed the expansion and will continue to assess daily.”

The 72 players who were on three charter flights with at least one positive coronavirus case have been in ‘hard’ quarantine since arriving in Melbourne.

Unlike those in ‘soft’ quarantine, they haven’t been able to leave their hotel room.

The remaining players in the mandatory 14-day quarantine have up to five hours a day to train on court and in the gym, as well as eat on-site.

Tiley told players they’d “postponed the planned expansion of the cohorts”. Picture: AAP

The only player who’s tested positive so far is Spain’s Paula Badosa, who revealed her result late on Thursday night. Her quarantine period effectively restarted with that news.

Other players are eligible to exit quarantine next Friday and Saturday, depending on when their flight arrived in Australia and pending medical clearance.

It’s understood TA will add an additional WTA event to the calendar, specifically for players emerging from hard quarantine and that will start on Wednesday, February 3 and finish on the Sunday.

The two other WTA tournaments will run as planned from January 31, while the three men’s events – including the ATP Cup – will be pushed back by a day each.

There is also expected to be changes to draw sizes.

Originally published as Australian Open COVID-19 update: Craig Tiley email confirms players’ worst fears