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Three positive crown tests upon arrival at the Australian Open seriously disrupted preparation for the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. As the organizers announced on Saturday, a total of 47 professional tennis players are in strict quarantine and therefore not allowed to leave their hotel room for 14 days.
It was originally planned that athletes could train a maximum of five hours a day during this time to prepare for the Melbourne start (starting February 8).
Bencic also affected
According to the organizers, two charter flights were affected upon arrival. On a flight from the United States, two people tested positive upon arrival. On a flight from Abu Dhabi, one person was positive.
According to initial information, Belinda Bencic was on board. The readiness of the eastern Swiss is seriously disrupted. An official confirmation from Bencic is pending.
After arriving, the 23-year-old was impressed by the processes and organization. She is now trapped for 14 days and is not allowed to leave the hotel room to train. Satisfaction is likely to decline rapidly.
Bencic stays fit in the room with his coach and friend
Bencic will have to keep fit in the room. After all, she has her physical trainer Martin Hromkovic with her. He is also known to be her friend.
Other affected players include Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens and Angelique Kerber.
“Our thoughts are with the two people who tested positive. We wish them all the best in their recovery, “said tournament director Craig Tiley:” We are communicating with everyone on this flight. Especially the group of players, to take into account their needs as much as possible. “
The effort of the Australian organizers is enormous to get the tournament off the ground in the middle of the pandemic. Players and their companions currently travel with a total of 18 charter aircraft. The strict bubble concept is expected to cost more than 25 million euros. (SID / SME)
