MELBOURNE (Reuters) – The run-up to next month’s Australian Open was confused on Saturday when 47 players were forced into strict hotel quarantine for two weeks after coronavirus infections were reported on two charter flights taking them to Melbourne.
Two dozen players and their staff landed from Los Angeles to be quarantined after an aircrew and a non-player passenger tested positive for COVID-19.
Another 23 players arriving on a chartered flight from Abu Dhabi suffered a similar fate after another non-player passenger was found positive, the organizers of the year’s first grand slam said in a statement.
The players “will not be able to leave their hotel rooms for 14 days until they are medically cleared,” they said.
“They are not eligible to practice.”
Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas, Mexican Santiago Gonzalez and New Zealander Artemis Sitak confirmed via social media that they were on the run from Los Angeles.
According to local media, two-time champion Victoria Azarenka, American former US Open winner Sloane Stephens and Japanese Kei Nishikori were also on board.
Another player reportedly on the same plane was Tennys Sandgren, who was given special permission to travel from Los Angeles late last week after testing positive for the new coronavirus, which he had previously had.
Tennis Australia said in a statement that the decision to let Sandgren fly was made after a review by medical officials. A spokesman for COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria said it was common in people who previously tested positive to “shed viral fragments for a while – which in turn can produce a positive result.”
Tournament Director Craig Tiley said: “We communicate with everyone on this flight, and in particular the playgroup whose circumstances have now changed, to make sure their needs are met as much as possible.”
Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk said she was on the run from Abu Dhabi.
Several players used social media to express their frustration and resentment for not receiving training.
“Weeks and weeks of practice and hard work are lost for one person who is Covid positive on a 3/4 empty plane. Sorry, but this is insane, ”tweeted Alize Cornet from France.
Belgian Kirsten Flipkens criticized the decision to quarantine all players on the run, calling it “Russian roulette”.
The New Zealand Sitak said it was “clearly not great,” but he was aware of the risks that lay ahead, and seemed relaxed as he was grounded in his hotel room.
“I asked for a bike, so hopefully I’ll get one and stay in shape, and then we’ll probably be out on January 29,” the 34-year-old said in a video posted on his Instagram page.
Later he posted a picture of his exercise bike with the text “got this beauty”.
After the organizers were on the receiving end of many players’ anger, Azarenka sounded a different note.
“If you have time to whine, then you have time to find a solution,” tweeted the Belarusian.
Australia has pledged to accept approximately 1,200 players, officials and staff on 15 flights for the major sporting event starting February 8.
Reporting by Melanie Burton and Ian Ransom; Additional reporting by Amlan Chakraborty; Edited by William Mallard, Jacqueline Wong and Hugh Lawson