Travel snub for Aussie in GB team

AN Australian citizen who lives in Brisbane but competed in Australian Open qualifying for Great Britain has joined the long list of those stranded overseas and unsure when they will return.

Tennis Australia committed to flying competitors who qualified for the grand slam from Dubai and Doha to Melbourne on charter flights, plus alternates and Australian players.

Naiktha Bains was not considered an Australian for this purpose, because of the country she now chooses to represent, since making a formal request to change in April 2019. The 23-year-old, who was born in Leeds, lost in firstround qualifying, so her and her coach father, Gurnake, being on the charter flight was dependent on TA recognising them as Australians.

“It’s disappointing, because although she’s chosen to represent Great Britain for Fed Cup, she is still an Australian citizen and permanent resident in Australia,” Gurnake Bains said. “This is her home and the AO fact sheet (for the qualifying tournament) clearly stated that TA would help players that didn’t qualify get home.

“Not only did they not allow her back with the other Australians who didn’t qualify – despite three emails from TA’s man on the ground, Fraser Wright – we have not had one option given to us on how we can get home.

“I even offered to pay TA for seats on the charter flight, but was told by Fraser that ( Australian Open tournament director Craig) Tiley would not even consider it.”

Tiley said in a statement that TA “made it clear all along” that only non-qualifying players who represented Australia would be flown to Melbourne, on top of qualifiers, alternates and main draw entrants”.

The event fact sheet reads that “Australian non-qualifiers” were eligible for the charter flight.