Twenty-four players on a charter flight from the US to Melbourne must be quarantined for two weeks after a member of the flight crew and a passenger – not a player – have tested positive. Both had tested negative within 72 hours of boarding the flight, which carried a total of 79 people.
A further 23 players have also been quarantined following the arrival in Melbourne of a charter flight with 64 people from Abu Dhabi. One person – again not a player – tested positive after the flight, despite submitting documentation of a negative Covid-19 test prior to takeoff.
All 47 affected players will not be able to leave their hotel rooms for the 14 day period and until they are medically evacuated. They are not eligible to practice.
“All passengers on the flight are already in quarantine hotels and the positive case, which is not a player and tested negative for the flight, has been transferred to a health hotel,” said the second statement regarding the Abu Dhabi-Melbourne. flight.
The passengers who tested positive for the virus on the US flight were also transferred to a health hotel.
“Our thoughts are with the two people who tested positive in flight and we wish them all the best for their recovery,” said Craig Tiley, director of the Australian Open Tournament in the organizers’ initial statement.
‘Strict test schedule’
“Soon, half of the players of the AO will have to isolate themselves,” she tweeted. “Weeks and weeks of practice and hard work are lost for one person who is positive for Covid on a 3/4 empty plane. Sorry but this is insane.”
World No. 71 Sorana Cirstea said she understood the need for quarantine, but that not being able to train and exercise would affect her ability to compete effectively in the Australian Open.
“What we can’t do is COMPETE after being in a bank for 14 days. This is the problem, not the quarantine rule.
“It would take me at least 3 weeks after that to get back in good shape and compete at a high level!” Cirstea said in another tweet.
Originally scheduled to start this month, the Australian Open was moved to February 8-21 due to concerns about Covid-19.
While most of the world’s best players have gone straight to Melbourne, others like Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams flew to Adelaide.
“SA Health has confirmed that there is no one who has an active COVID-19 infection in the entire Adelaide tennis cohort,” the Australian Open tweeted later on Saturday. “Testing will continue daily.”
Ahead of Saturday’s developments, tournament organizers had said players would also “undergo a tougher testing schedule than most returning travelers.”
All must undergo a 14-day quarantine but are allowed five hours daily to train in strict bio-safe bubbles prior to a host of warm-up tournaments, all in Melbourne, in the week leading up to the grand slam.
But those 47 players who are now hiding in their hotel will wonder how to properly prepare for the first grand slam of the season.
CNN’s Dan Kamal contributed to this report.