ACEHFOOTBALL.net — Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are the two top three players who will undergo a period of isolation 14 day in Adelaide before competing at the Australian Open 2021 which takes place in Melbourne in February.
Hundreds of participants and entourages will arrive in Australia starting 15 January and undergo compulsory isolation for 14 days as part of the COVID-19 health protocol before the Grand Slam start of the season on 8-21 February in Melbourne Park.
Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said organizers needed a second city to ensure they did not exceed the limit for the number of isolated individuals, as prescribed by the authorities in Melbourne.
Adelaide will host the top three men and women tennis players, including Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep, who will also compete in exhibition tournaments in Melbourne start 31 January.
“We approached the South Australian government about the possibility of them isolating at least 50 person,” said Tiley in a Reuters report, Friday.
“But they will not be interested in doing so, because it is of no use for them to harm their entire community. But it would be beneficial if there was an exhibition right before Melbourne. So we selected the top three female sons and daughters, and they will have an exhibition on that date 29 and 30 January,” he concluded.
The petenins will be allowed five hours outside the hotel room to practice during 14 isolation day, and Tiley confirmed that health regulations would be the same in Adelaide.
Tiley predicted Melbourne Park, who attended around 800.000 people at last year's Grand Slam, will be filled 50-75 percent of normal capacity.
Source: Among
