Pressure on Australian Open with player quarantine likely to start in January

The Premier’s comments came as a communication from the men’s ATP Tour this week confirmed there were “some new challenges around the previously planned arrival dates for players and team members”.

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“In discussions with Tennis Australia over the past 24 hours, we have been informed there are some new challenges around the previously planned arrival dates for players and team members,” the ATP said in a note to players.

“We continue to work with Tennis Australia on confirming plans for January, and we will provide an update as soon as more information is available in the coming days.

“We understand there is uncertainty about the start of the 2021 season, and we are working as hard as possible to deliver the best possible calendar of events to players.”

Players on the women’s tour were also reportedly told that the planned original earlier arrival date in Australia – in early December – wasn’t possible.

In an email, the WTA reportedly told its members “the government will no longer allow players and their teams to begin quarantine during the original timeframe of Dec. 8-14. The exact date of allowed arrival is still to be confirmed”.

Britain’s No.1 female player, Johanna Konta, has warned that players’ health could suffer if they are asked to go straight from a two-week period of quarantine into a tennis major.

“From my perspective, my body wouldn’t be able to handle two weeks of de-conditioning, and then pushing me into the deep end,” Konta told the BBC.

“I think it would make it very difficult for players to be able to compete at the highest level without risking their bodies in the process.”

On Wednesday Tennis Australia would not comment in detail about the delicate negotiations, except to say: “The health and safety of the community, the players and all involved in the event, has always been our top priority, and we recognise the incredible effort and the sacrifices all Victorians have made to contain COVID-19”.

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While the Premier gave assurances that the Open would go ahead and described the tournament, a key plank of Melbourne’s major events strategy for more than two decades, as a “very important event”, Mr Andrews said the government was working very closely with TA to achieve a safe outcome.

“There was some reporting earlier in the week that this all was some sort of done deal, that there would be lead-up tournaments … and the whole thing was finalised,” Mr Andrews said.

“That reporting was not accurate.

“We are working very, very closely with Tennis Australia. They are working with all of their partners. We’re confident that we’ll finish up with an Australian Open. It’s a very important event.

“But there’s a lot of work to be done to make sure that that’s as safe as possible – not just from the broader Victorian community, from a public health point of view.”

Mr Andrews also said players being forced to delay their arrivals until the start of January wouldn’t preclude the tournament going ahead.

“I’m not a professional tennis player, nor am I a spokesperson for them, but I think grand slam tennis has a certain allure, and I don’t think we’ll ever have trouble getting a field for one of just four grand slam tournaments that are played each year,” he said.

“We’re working to make sure that we’ve got tennis as we can safely have, but it’s got to be done safely.

“I wouldn’t conclude from that that the Australian Open is not going to happen.”