COVID cases reported before Australian open tournament

The director of the tournament director Craig Tiley has spoken up about the match. He said they had eliminated any change in the best-of-five-set format for men’s singles playoff as three COVID cases have been reported among the Australian open Arrivals. 

There are a total of 72 players who are in hard quarantine and are not able to practice. The precautions are taken as there are nine active COVID-19 cases, and there is also an increase in three this weekend. The incoming travelers to Melbourne were found suffering from coronavirus. The health official did not indicate any signs that there can be an increase in the number of coronavirus affected players. 

An Australian Tennis spokeswoman said no when asked for the list of the 72 players. But the players can be confirmed by their status on Social media. 

However, the good news for the players now in quarantine is they will be allowed to leave their room for practice. But they will leave the room only before fourteen-day challenging quarantine period. 

 For the open tournament more than 1200 players, staffs, coaches’ media and officials boarded a charter plane and arrived on 17. Their journey started on Feb 8 that is last Thursday. COVID cases have been reported in three of these flights from Doha, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Los Angeles. 

Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews said the cases that have been linked to the open tournament could be re-categorized as non-infectious shedding. Thus, allowing changes among players in hard quarantine. 

Andrew said if you have got 30 people that have been on the plane and are under doubt of close contact with the patients, they are not an active case rather a historic shedding. As a result, the people in hard quarantine can be released from lockdown. 

All the people travelling for the tennis tournament had to be COVID negative before boarding the flights. But there was at least single exclusion in this case of historic shedding.

Tennys Sandgren, a two-time quarterfinalist, was initially tested COVID positive in November. But the Victorian state Health authorities said after analyzing the tennis player’s medical record, he is no longer contagious. Thus, he can fly to Australia last week even though he is still shedding viral particles.  

Sandgren tweeted, he was tested two times with less than eight-week gap, and he was sick in November but has totally recovered now. There is no single medical report which says he is contagious from any angle and is totally healthy. 

Tiley infront of press confirmed on Tuesday he ignored calls from some players to reduce the best-of-five open matches to best-of-three. 

We are a grand slam, and right now two-of-three sets for women and three-of-five men are the best way to stick to the plan, said Tiley. 

Some players are regularly posting on their social media to show how they perceive hardship during their hard lockdown. 

Tiley shared that some players that have been tested positive did not come up as a surprise to them. They already expected this turnout.