Tennis: behind closed doors at the Australian Open following a five-day lockdown
Party time: Australia's Nick Kyrgios will ensure a carnival atmosphere when he tackles US Open champion Dominc Thiem on his favorite John Cain Arena Paul CROCK AFP
Text by: Frédéric Suteau Follow
3 min
In Australia, the Prime Minister of the State of Victoria has just declared a five-day confinement from midnight local time tonight.
An outbreak of coronavirus contamination has been located in a hotel near Melbourne airport: 19 cases with the English variant of the virus that has been identified.
As a result of this confinement, the Australian Open tennis tournament being played at the moment will continue without spectators, at least until February 17.
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The party lasted only five days in Melbourne Park: spectators in the stands without masks, up to 30,000 people allowed on the site each day, the communion of the players with the public, as we saw on February 10 in this exciting match between Nick Kyrgios the Australian local hero and Hugo Humbert the French.
We would have thought we were back in the world before.
"All the players I have spoken with want to continue playing"
But the ax has fallen: the Covid epidemic is starting again, with a focus of contamination with the English variant in a hotel near the airport.
A priori, no player or entourage of players has tested positive for the moment.
The tournament will therefore continue, but in a health bubble.
An exception for tennis.
Craig Tiley, Director of the Australian Open, confirmed this: “
You have heard the Prime Minister's statement.
A five-day confinement is imposed on Victoria.
The tournament and the matches will continue in a health bubble.
All of the players I've spoken to want to keep playing.
They usually.
They've been playing like this for almost a year, in a bubble, without spectators.
"
Save the tournament at all costs?
Not all Australians are of this opinion ... The arrival of the tennis caravan in Melbourne in early January caused a lot of reaction.
Even if the players had to respect a quarantine of 15 days before the start of the tournament.
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