MELBOURNE (Reuters) – The build-up to next month’s Australian Open was thrown into disarray on Saturday when 47 players were forced into a two-week quarantine after reports of coronavirus infections on two charter flights to Melbourne.
Two dozen players and their staff landed in Los Angeles to be quarantined after a flight crew member and a non-player passenger tested positive for COVID-19.
Another 23 players who arrived on a charter flight from Abu Dhabi faced a similar fate after another non-player passenger was found positive, organizers of the first grand slam of the year said in a statement.
Players “will not be able to leave hotel rooms for 14 days and until they are medically authorized,” they said.
“They will not be eligible to practice.”
Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas, Mexican Santiago Gonzalez and New Zealander Artemis Sitak have confirmed via social media that they are flying from Los Angeles.
According to local media, two-time champion Victoria Azarenka, former US Open winner Sloane Stephens and Japanese Kei Nishikori were also in flight.
Another player on the same plane was reportedly Tennys Sandgren, who was granted special permission to travel from Los Angeles late last week after testing positive for his new coronavirus.
Tennis Australia said in a statement that the decision to allow Sandgren to fly was taken after a review by medical officials. A spokesperson for Quarantine COVID-19 Victoria said it is common among people who have previously tested positive for “shedding viral fragments for some time – which can trigger another positive result”.
Tournament director Craig Tiley said: “We are communicating with everyone on this flight and especially with the game group whose conditions have now changed to ensure that their needs are met as much as possible.”
Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk said she was on a flight from Abu Dhabi.
Several players went on social networks to release their frustration and resentment because they were denied training.
“Weeks and weeks of training and hard work to lose for a positive person for Covid in an empty 3/4 plane. We are sorry, but this is crazy “, wrote on French Twitter Alize Cornet.
Belgian Kirsten Flipkens criticized the decision to quarantine all players on the flight, calling it “Russian roulette”.
Sitak from New Zealand said he was “obviously not great”, but he was aware of the risks involved and seemed relaxed about being tied to his hotel room.
“I asked for a bike, so I hope to take it and stay fit and we will probably be out on January 29,” the 34-year-old said in a video on his Instagram page.
He later posted a photo of his exercise bike saying “he got this beauty”.
After the organizers woke up at the end of the anger of many players, Azarenka sounded a different note.
“If you have time to complain, then you have time to find a solution,” the Belarusian wrote on Twitter.
Australia has agreed to accept around 1,200 players, officials and staff on 15 flights for the major sporting event starting on February 8th.
Reporting by Melanie Burton and Ian Ransom; Additional reporting by Amlan Chakraborty; Edited by William Mallard, Jacqueline Wong and Hugh Lawson