The Australian Open will "go ahead but has been pushed back, set for a start date of February 8" and with "strict guidelines set out by the DHHS," according to Sam McClure of the Melbourne AGE. Players "will be able to train during 14-day quarantine, but only after testing negative to COVID-19 on the second day of isolation." Testing will "take place in each player's hotel room on days one, three, seven, 10 and 14." In what will "come at a huge cost, Tennis Australia says it will pay for charter flights, player and entourage quarantine costs, meals and accommodation." Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said the tournament will pay the full $71M (all figures AU) prize money and is "working with the tours on redistribution with large increases to the early rounds and a likely first round purse" of $100,000. McClure reports all players will be "allowed out of their hotel rooms for a maximum of five hours: two hours on court, two hours in the gym and one hour to eat on site." All movement outside of the hotels will be "limited to Melbourne Park and Albert Reserve Tennis Centre" (Melbourne AGE, 12/2).
STRINGENT PROTOCOL: In Melbourne, Scott Gullan cites a L’Equipe report that "unless the players and the ATP sign off on the quarantine conditions," there is a chance the Australian Open "could be cancelled." Gullan notes players are "said to only be allowed to practice with the same partner during their five-hour outing from quarantine plus one coach per player," and "should any of the group then test positive for the virus, they would immediately go into full lockdown." Tiley today revealed that the "possibility of the Australian Open not going ahead was still an option that had to be considered." However, he later released a statement saying that negotiations with the State Government were "close to being finalised" (Melbourne HERALD SUN, 12/2).
