Quarantine rules to remain in place

Quarantine restrictions will not be relaxed for any of the 72 tennis players confined to their hotel rooms despite the reclassification of two coronavirus cases.

Players on three of the charter flights arranged by Australian Open organisers were told they must stay in their rooms for 14 days because of positive tests returned by a small number of those on the planes.

Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton revealed that two of those positive tests had been deemed viral shedding rather than active cases, meaning that person had already recovered from coronavirus and was no longer infectious.

But that did not change the status of any of the flights, meaning all the 72 players remain unable to train outside of their rooms.

Sutton told Australian media: “This does not change broader assessment of the player group in hotel quarantine. As yet, none of the three affected flights have been cleared as a result of the two reclassified cases.”

Three new cases associated with the Australian Open were announced, including two players, although it is not known whether they are active or viral shedding.

Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut was the latest player to earn criticism in the Australian media for complaining about the quarantine conditions.

The world No 13 was shown by Israeli TV channel Sport 5 likening the conditions to jail and saying the restrictions were a disaster.

Andy Murray is continuing his isolation at home in Surrey after testing positive for coronavirus and it is hoped he will find out in the next day or two whether he will be able to travel to Australia.