Open chiefs rule out Murray rule exemption

ANDY MURRAY described himself as ‘devastated’ after the door slammed shut on his hopes of playing in the Australian Open.

Having tested positive for Covid 12 days ago, he ran out of time to compete after being told yesterday that there could be no special quarantine dispensation.

It appears the tournament made efforts to find a compromise for its five-times finalist. But health authorities decided he would need to go into full lockdown for two weeks after arriving ahead of the February 8 start.

Murray (below) said: ‘Gutted to share that I won’t be flying out to Australia to compete at the Australian Open. I’m devastated not to be playing out in Australia — it’s a country and tournament that I love.’ He is at least feeling well after suffering only the mildest symptoms, but the timing in contracting the virus could hardly have been worse. He pulled out of the season-opening tournament in Florida to minimise the chances of getting Covid, but still caught it while at home over Christmas.

The 33-year-old Scot must now weigh up options about where he can play once the Australian Open is finished on February 21.

Two possible tournaments are in France, where non-EU citizens are now forced to quarantine for a week and athlete exemptions have been suspended. Rotterdam at the start of March could also be an option.

His cause for travelling to Australia has not been helped by controversies involving other players since their arrival a week ago.