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MELBOURNE, Australia: The Australian Open and all of the common interstate leadup tournaments for the seasons first tennis main will probably be staged in Melbourne in January in a bid to reduce dangers for gamers touring and quarantining in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tennis Australia will switch the tournaments from Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Hobart to Melbourne, the place a quarantine and observe hub will probably be arrange for the sports activities elite gamers.
Australia’s worldwide borders are restricted, and there may be nonetheless differing home touring restrictions between states.
Tennis Australia mentioned logistics, together with draw sizes and scheduling, have been being labored via for the weeks forward of the Australian Open, which is because of begin Jan. 18.
Some skilled sports activities competitions in Australia, together with the National Rugby League, the Australian Football League and Super Rugby, went forward with some gamers residing and taking part in in bio-secure hubs in the course of the season.
Australian Open event director Craig Tiley informed the Herald-Sun newspaper that organizing the tennis was completely different as a result of we’re bringing in a number of worldwide individuals and their entourage so weve obtained to make sure they keep on a really inflexible, robust lockdown.
Tiley mentioned shifting all tournaments and gamers to Victoria state would imply that late modifications to interstate journey restrictions would haven’t any impression on the event.
It will probably be an analogous buildup to that of the U.S. Open, the primary of the tennis majors held after the worldwide sports activities shutdown for the coronavirus, when the Cincinnati event was moved to New York forward of the Grand Slam occasion.
Australian Open organizers are hoping the Victoria state authorities will permit spectators at Melbourne Park for the Australian Open. At this stage, the state authorities is permitting a crowd of as much as 25% capability on the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the Australia vs. India take a look at match beginning Dec. 26.
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