Australian Open: Quarantined tennis players are getting creative in their hotel rooms

Hitting balls against a mattress and running 5km, quarantined tennis players are getting creative as they try to kill time in their hotel rooms before next month’s Australian Open.

Passengers on three Australian Open charter flights have been sent into hard quarantine, with more than 70 players unable to train outside their hotel rooms for 14 days ahead of the year’s first Grand Slam that begins on February 8.

Other players who arrived on different flights are also undertaking a mandatory quarantine but are permitted to leave their hotel rooms for five hours a day to train.

Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas has become the star of the show, first of all practising his backhand against an upturned mattress, before continuing his beach-themed videos after pretending to ride the waves on his bed by “sunbathing” in front of his window.

Genius ? ?

Instagram ? @PabloCuevas22 pic.twitter.com/8pOs9YhiXA

Surfing in your hotel room ?

Instagram @PabloCuevas22 pic.twitter.com/P0XVVP5t5A

Time for a bit of sunbathing ?#ThatsLife

Instagram @PabloCuevas22 pic.twitter.com/wCVOemd6z1

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Grand slam preparation ? pic.twitter.com/ALvc4EugN6

Quarantine workouts ?? pic.twitter.com/4JB6oxvwNZ

Waiting for practice today…. ??? @alexdeminaur ? pic.twitter.com/m2gA8YEFyc

World No 5 Elina Svitolina, Australia’s Alex De Minaur and British stars Katie Boulter, Heather Watson and Johanna Konta were among those who posted on social media about the delays.

There have been notably fewer social media posts from players complaining about their lot, which went down like a lead balloon in a city that endured one of the world’s strictest lockdowns, but Bernard Tomic’s girlfriend Vanessa Sierra has been ridiculed for a YouTube video about their quarantine experience.

5k ? pic.twitter.com/oL2Qehg2LE

Quarantine day 3. Double yoga life ?? (That view tho ?) pic.twitter.com/l4lyLTPZo9

In it, Sierra, who appeared on Australian Love Island, complains about the food supplied by the hotel and says her biggest concern is having to wash her own hair rather than visit the salon twice a week.

“I’m committed to do whatever it takes to get ready despite the circumstances. Time to get creative,” Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur said in a tweet.

World No 38 Barbora Strycova posted a video of herself assembling an exercise bike and joked she may have found her true calling.

“Anyone in need of my services? We can make it happen after these 14 days,” Strycova added.

Preparation for @AustralianOpen with @NastiaPav is in progress? #DD pic.twitter.com/RG1EtL66Dl

Never got a knock but at least practiced my sprints ??‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/IO61oCPOtY

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Getting that forehand ready for @AustralianOpen ???#quarantineday3 pic.twitter.com/d1F7JFTqI5

As you all know, I am one of the players that has been placed in full isolation. Not the easiest news to get but staying strong and making the best of it. I am committed to do whatever it takes to get ready despite the circumstances. Time to get creative ? ?? pic.twitter.com/pTdZDy0saM

Time on my hands ? pic.twitter.com/BDjWnlAEaB

However, American Reilly Opelka said he was not a fan of the videos and said players should count themselves lucky to be in Melbourne for the tournament.

I find tennis players sharing their quarantine workouts on their IG story so non amusing. We already saw these same videos 6 months ago ?

“I find tennis players sharing their quarantine workouts on their Instagram story so non-amusing. We already saw these same videos six months ago,” Opelka tweeted.

“Not even something to joke about. We’re fortunate enough to even be in Australia.”

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