Open sesame for elite players

Green light to arrive early

AUSTRALIAN Open officials remain hopeful that players will be able to train while serving their mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine in Melbourne.

In a missive to players that was revealed yesterday, tour officials were reported to have told players that they may be able to arrive in Melbourne from early January, with dates to be confirmed.

They would reportedly then serve the Victorian government-mandated two-week hotel quarantine period but would be able to hit the courts during that time under strict and isolated conditions.

Tennis sources remain optimistic that training could be allowed, but conversations remained ongoing last night.

Australian Open officials have engaged Aspen Medical, a global provider of healthcare solutions that is certified by the World Health Organisation, to assist with quarantine and tournament planning.

A minimal amount of people will be permitted inside the “quarantine bubble”, meaning many players will be restricted in the number of team members they will be able to bring to Australia.

The ability to train while quarantined is a sticking point for players, many of whom deemed it virtually impossible to perform at the top level in a grand slam after two weeks bound in one room without the ability to keep up fitness.

Talks continue between tennis officials and the state government, with no start date for the tournament confirmed, although February 1 has been floated as one potential.

It means that the tournament may only be pushed back by a fortnight.

Victoria recorded a 28th-straight day with no new coronavirus cases yesterday, meaning there is a delicate balance between opening the doors to players and officials from across the globe and protecting what Victorians have worked so hard to achieve.

Australian player John Millman had said that a hard quarantine would “not be conducive to a player’s health”.