Tennis fans will be banned from attending the Australian Open as the state of Victoria prepares for a five-day lockdown in response to new COVID-19 cases.
Why it matters: The lockdown comes after an outbreak at a Holiday Inn near Melbourne Airport that was used to accommodate returning travelers.
Driving the news: The cluster of cases linked to the hotel grew to 13 on Thursday evening, with five new cases per AP.
- Friday morning, the state’s number of active cases was 19.
Where it is: Life was almost normal in the state of Victoria, with bars full of unmasked patrons. But now more than 6 million Victorians will be able to leave the house alone for essential groceries, work, exercise, and care.
- Schools are closed Monday through Wednesday, gatherings are prohibited and masks are required everywhere.
Yes but: Tennis players are classified as “workers” and are allowed to continue their matches. The minimum number of staff required for the event to run safely will also be present, while everyone else will be asked to work remotely.
The background: The Australian Open had hoped to welcome nearly 400,000 fans and avoid a “bubble” by putting players in “hard quarantine” upon arrival.
- Tennis Australia suffered from this, but the strategy had worked so far, with players expressing their gratitude for the opportunity to play in front of fans.
- Now the tournament continues without spectators, just like the US Open in September in New York.
On the road, Australian Nick Kyrgios almost upset number 3 Dominic Thiem in front of an electric crowd that locked immediately after the match ended (around 7 p.m. ET) – knowing they wouldn’t be back for the next five days.
- The match lasted five sets and was as exciting as it gets, with lots of underhanded services from Kyrgios and a lot of grit from Thiem.
- Serena Williams advanced to the fourth round, where she will play No. 8 Aryna Sabalenka for the first time.