47 players unable to train in Australian Open quarantine after positive tests

A significant number of Australian Open players have had their plans disrupted after positive coronavirus tests were returned from two of the charter flights to Melbourne.

A confirmed group 47 players on flights from Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi will now be forced to spend the full two-week quarantine period in their hotel rooms and won’t be allowed to practice after positive tests were returned.

The positive tests on the flight from LA were not from players. One was from a member of the flight crew and the other from a passenger who is not a player.

Similarly the positive test on the flight from Abu Dhabi was returned from a passenger who is not a player.

Grand Slam champions Victoria Azarenka, Angelique Kerber, Bianca Andreescu and Sloane Stephens, and Japanese No. 1 Kei Nishikori are among those affected.

While they will be confined to their hotel rooms, other unaffected stars will be able to hit the practice court during their 14-day quarantine period.

Australian Open statement on LA flight

Two positive COVID-19 tests were returned from one of the charter flights into Melbourne in the past 24 hours. 

There were 79 people on the flight, including 67 passengers, of which 24 are players.

The two positive tests have been returned by a member of the flight crew and a passenger who is not a player, who returned a negative test within 72 hours prior to boarding the flight.

All passengers from the flight are already in quarantine hotels and the two positive cases transferred to a health hotel.

The 24 players on the flight will not be able to leave their hotels rooms for 14 days and until they are medically cleared. They will not be eligible to practise.

Australian Open statement on Abu Dhabi flight

One positive COVID-19 test has been returned from a passenger on a charter flight into Melbourne from Abu Dhabi in the past 24 hours. 

There were 64 people on the flight, including 23 players.

All passengers from the flight are already in quarantine hotels and the positive case, who is not a player and had tested negative before the flight, has been transferred to a health hotel.

The 23 players on the flight will not be able to leave their hotel room for 14 days and until they are medically cleared. They will not be eligible to practise.

Tournament director Craig Tiley said after the positive tests were discovered on the LA flight: ‘We are communicating with everyone on this flight, and particularly the playing group whose conditions have now changed, to ensure their needs are being catered to as much as possible, and that they are fully appraised of the situation.

‘Our thoughts are with the two people who tested positive on the flight and we wish them well for their recovery.’

An email from Australian Open organisers shared by Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk confirmed that affected players will have a zoom call with chief medical officer Dr Carolyn Broderick on Saturday evening in Melbourne.

The email read: ‘We are aware of the major impact this has on your preparation for the Australian summer.

‘And are going to do everything we can to mitigate this impact. Our entire team is mobilised and here to support you. We will do everything that we can to get you through this.’

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