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Novak Djokovic stated on Monday he hopes the Australian Open goes forward “for the sake of tennis”, admitting the game faces a difficult time because it gears up for the 2021 season. The world primary is enjoying within the ATP Finals in London on the finish of a coronavirus-truncated season however the brand new marketing campaign is because of begin in simply seven weeks’ time. Tennis Australia earlier Monday flagged plans to maneuver quite a few Australian Open warm-up occasions to the state of Victoria, however obtained a blunt warning from the state premier that he would scupper any occasion that risked reigniting Melbourne’s Covid-19 disaster.
Under the plan, tournaments initially deliberate for Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart, Adelaide and Canberra would all be performed in Victoria earlier than the Open at Melbourne Park from January 18 to 31.
Tournament director Craig Tiley stated the transfer was as a result of virus restrictions meant that state governments couldn’t assure abroad gamers contesting warm-ups exterior Victoria could be free to journey to Melbourne for the Grand Slam.
“There is now no risk of the Australian Open going ahead without everyone (all players) in Victoria, and we didn’t have that guarantee previously,” he instructed Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper.
But Victoria Premier Dan Andrews stated the plans had been “not a done deal”, significantly since Melbourne solely just lately emerged from a month-long lockdown to remove a second wave of Covid-19.
Djokovic, who beat Argentine debutant Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-2 in his opening match at London’s O2 Arena, stated he had “not noticed much of a doubt” over whether or not the tournaments would go forward.
“I want to play in Australia, Australian Open,” added the Serbian, who’s an eight-time winner of the season-opening Grand Slam and the reigning champion.
“I’m not sure about the ATP Cup and the tournaments before, because obviously you have to leave quite in advance, actually, I think two-and-a-half or three weeks prior to the first match.
“So let’s have a look at how that goes. But I’m simply hoping for the sake of tennis and sake of gamers that we are going to have the Australian Open and likewise the opportunity of the ATP Cup and a pair extra tournaments a minimum of.”
Quarantine
The plan for Australia would reportedly involve more than 500 international tennis players arriving in Victoria and undergoing two weeks of mandatory quarantine.
The players, many of whom travel with large entourages, would be restricted to hotels but have access to tennis courts.
Once they had completed quarantine and twice tested negative for Covid-19, they would be able to move freely around Victoria.
Promoted
Andrews noted that it was a huge logistical undertaking involving complex quarantine arrangements, saying “the notion that is all tied up with a bow, it is a carried out deal, that is merely fallacious”.
Tennis Australia seemingly jumped the gun with its announcement, with Tiley confidently predicting the Victoria state authorities would permit crowds of a minimum of 25 p.c capability at Melbourne Park.
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