Stars hit centre court to train as key rivals deal with COVID-19 anxiety

Dual-Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka was among the first in line for testing on Thursday.

Serena Williams trains on Rod Laver Arena on Thursday while several rivals were in isolation Picture: AFP

Some of the world’s best tennis players went straight from isolation to the practice court after being cleared of COVID-19 in Melbourne on Thursday night.

Dual-Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka was among the first of 507 players and officials ordered to isolate and undergo testing after a coronavirus scare.

All play in lead-in events at Melbourne Park on Thursday was cancelled and the Australian Open draw delayed until Friday as a precaution after a worker at the Grand Hyatt Hotel tested positive to coronavirus.

But Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley is confident the Australian Open will begin as scheduled on Monday provided those forced into isolation on Thursday are virus-free.

The scare has exacerbated what is already an uneven playing field with leading contenders enjoying a more stable preparation heading into the Australian Open.

Those not affected in the latest drama were able to prepare at Melbourne Park on Thursday as their rivals underwent testing and waited for their results.

Dual-Australian Open champion Jim Courier was among those forced to endure a strict quarantine ahead of broadcasting duties and also had to undergo testing on Thursday.

The four-time major winner said the latest drama clearly had an impact on some players already coping with being at a disadvantage to their rivals leading into a major.

“That is going to be a challenge for them because they are behind the eight-ball … and have already spent a lot of mental energy trying to get in the right frame of mind, I would imagine,” he said on The Tennis Channel.

“In talking to some of the players I know, they certainly feel like have red-lined mentally and didn’t have a lot left and were hoping to regain that before the big challenge ahead, which is the Australian Open starting next week.

“It is going to be a very tough, stern mental test for these players to keep it all together, because they are just getting curveballs.

“Everything about tennis in this era of COVID … is unusual and as our colleague Andy Roddick puts it so perfectly, you can’t expect perfection. You can’t aim for that. You just have to do the best with the cards you are dealt and that is where we are.”

Frenchman Benoit Paire fell prey to both quarantine issues and complained that it is becoming tough to play tennis.

Azarenka was also among the players who were forced to endure a strict quarantine without any opportunity to train outside last month and was clearly keen not to waste another minute.

The Belarusian was among the first in line at 9am and had received clearance by early afternoon as authorities tested the Grand Hyatt quarantine crew in alphabetical order.

The former world No 1 booked a training session on John Cain Arena and was expected on court at 7pm ahead of a fourth round clash against Yulia Putintseva in the Grampians Trophy scheduled for Friday.

That tournament is restricted solely to women who were caught up in the strict quarantine. But whether play occurs depends on the results of testing, with the schedule for Friday delayed again on Thursday night.

Those whose surnames that came later in the alphabet were still unaware of their results late on Thursday.

Wimbledon champion Pat Cash had booked a court at Kooyong for his charge Qiang Wang but the pair were still anxious for news of their test results as darkness fell.

Another curveball for tournament organisers is the inclement weather predicted for Friday, which has the potential to wreak further havoc with the lead-in events.

At least 100 matches were expected to be scheduled for Friday in the six different tournaments but thunderstorms and heavy rain could derail those plans.

“We have a few options in regards to the draw and format,” Tiley said.