Go win an upgrade
TILEY POINTS THE WAY TO A BETTER DEAL
THERE’S a way for lowerranked tennis players to be treated the same as the sport’s elite, Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley says.
Go win a grand slam tournament singles title.
There’s been considerable debate about alleged preferential treatment for the handful of stars in Adelaide, compared to the majority who are quarantining in Melbourne.
Japan’s Taro Daniel said there was “resentment” towards the South Australian crew – Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem,
Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka and Serena and Venus Williams.
Tiley revealed it was a hot topic in the player meeting on Monday night, but had a simple answer to the complaints.
“My general rule is, if you’re at the top of the game, you’re a grand slam champion, it’s just the nature of the business – you are going to get a better deal,” he said.
Tiley even pointed to Swiss champion Stan Wawrinka’s photo of his gigantic dinner table in his Melbourne hotel as proof the stars in Victoria are being looked after as well.
“I don’t know if you’ve seen pictures of Stan Wawrinka’s room, but is that
preferential treatment?” the Tennis Australia’s chief executive said.
“He has a pretty good deal. Others have only a one-bedroom (room) and in a different hotel.”
One player lightheartedly
said this week that his hotel room was about the same size as Wawrinka’s table.
TA’s decision to add an exhibition event in Adelaide, A Day at the Drive, to the summer calendar raised eyebrows, with Frenchman Jeremy Chardy accusing them of favouritism.
However, Chardy’s suggestion that the Superstar Six would get to use the on-site gym outside their daily training allocation was wrong, Tiley confirmed.
There are still advantages, including each room having a balcony – pertinent, given Yulia Putintseva’s ‘We need fresh air to breathe’ sign posted on Instagram – and more support them.
The 50-person bubble is based at the new Majestic M Suites Hotel in North Adelaide.
Tiley said the deal with the South Australian Government was necessary, because TA had exhausted its quarantine capacity in Melbourne.
What TA then had to do was make it worth Premier Steven Marshall’s time, effort and investment, so the January 29 exhibition at Memorial Drive became a reality.
The venue will also host the Adelaide International, a WTA 500 tournament, from February 21-27, after the Australian Open. staff on court with