Fears of Australian Open exodus

Fears have been raised about players pulling out of the Australian Open as a stalemate over quarantine arrangements rages between Tennis Australia and the Victorian Government.

John Millman says a lot of players would be turned off by quarantine plans

Fears have been raised about players pulling out of the Australian Open as a stalemate over quarantine arrangements rages between Tennis Australia and the Victorian Government.

Global tennis stars have raised concerns about having only days to prepare for the Open outside quarantine, after the door was officially closed on them entering Melbourne next month.

Australian Open boss Craig Tiley has confirmed players will not be allowed into Victoria in December to enter a quarantine “bubble’’ as planned, leaving stars worried they will be unable to train while in lockdown.

Aussie tennis ace John Millman – now quarantining in Sydney – told The Australian that could have players from around the world thinking carefully about competing in the January major.

“Let’s say they were to come and had to do a two-week hotel quarantine where they were quarantined to their rooms for two weeks and then go out and play an Australian Open right away, I think that would turn off a lot of players,’’ he said.

A plan revealed on Monday’s would have seen players tested for coronavirus before boarding a plane from overseas and again once they touched down in Melbourne.

They would enter the bubble if still negative and restricted to playing courts and their hotel for a fortnight.

“The idea I’m aware of was to try and get the players in as early as possible and to do these kind of resort style quarantines,’’ Millman said.

“Hire out the hotel and have an enclosed bubble where players can still access the practice courts while still doing their quarantine period.

“That was the original plan and obviously that’s been met with a few roadblocks.’’

Former Australian tennis star Sam Groth said it was unrealistic to ask the world’s best players to quarantine in a hotel without access to practice facilities.

“For a player to come in and quarantine in a hotel then they would not be able to step onto a tennis court and play a match the next day,’’ he said.

“I don’t think anyone would question that.”

Groth said players had been operating in a Covid bubble for several months including in the pandemic hotspot of New York for the US Open.

“The players are used to the situation of having to be in a bubble and doing the right thing this year,” he said.

“To come and have to quarantine and not being able to train is not ideal.

“Maybe it means the Australian Open is pushed back … whatever it looks like the players will do what they need to do, it’s their job.”

In an email to players, Tiley confirmed they would not be able to fly in during December and

apologised for uncertainly that was “well out of our control”.

“We are currently seeking further details on what this means for the first two weeks of January and whether we will be able to run tournaments during this time,” he wrote.

“This will depend entirely on the quarantine conditions imposed … and whether they allow for tournaments to be run in a quarantine bubble — ie. without crowds.”

Major lead-in events from Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney, Perth and Canberra that were set to be played in Victoria in the lead up to the Open are now likely to be played in front of empty stadiums, if at all.

The earliest players from around the world will be allowed into Melbourne to prepare for the Grand Slam is January 1, with event scheduled January 18-31.

Brazilian doubles specialist Bruno Soares has warned playing the Open with little preparation would be “very dangerous”,

Young gun Alexander Zverev was also concerned.

“If we can’t even practice for 14 days and we have to go out to play the Australian Open, it’s a lottery,” he said.

“I mean, you can basically flip a coin who wins.”

Reigning Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic said: “I’m planning to play Australian Open for sure,” he said.

“I mean, I would like to go there and I’m ready to quarantine for two weeks and whatever is necessary for me to be able to play.

“I hope that there is going to be support and understanding from the Victorian and Australian government for the players and for Tennis Australia and that they will allow players to compete in the second week of quarantine.’’

Herald Sun