Melbourne (AFP)
Players scheduled to participate in the Australian Open have been quarantined for two weeks after two other people tested positive for Covid-19 in their plane on the Los Angeles-Melbourne flight, authorities said on Saturday.
The two positive people are a member of the crew and someone with a connection to the tennis tournament without being a player.
"The crew member and passenger have been questioned and transferred to a health hotel following normal procedures for positive cases," a spokesperson for the Victoria State Quarantine Program said.
"The 66 remaining passengers of the flight are considered as contact cases. No player or member of their entourage will be able to interrupt the quarantine to participate in training."
Players will therefore not be able to take advantage of the five hours of daily training initially planned for the first round of the Grand Slam year.
The Belarusian Victoria Azarenka (winner of the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013), the American Sloane Stephens and the Japanese Kei Nishikori are among the players concerned, according to the Australian press.
Participants of the Australian Open began arriving in the country on Thursday.
The tournament kicks off on February 8.
All must comply with a quarantine of 14 days, but are allowed to train five hours a day under very strict conditions.
© 2021 AFP