Melbourne
A host of tennis players were barred from practising for a fortnight Saturday in a major setback to their Australian Open preparations after two people on a charter flight that brought them to Melbourne tested positive to Covid-19.
While those who failed the test were not players, all remaining passengers were ordered to stay in their hotel rooms for the entire 14-day mandatory quarantine period.
That means the 24 players on board will not be allowed out to practise and train for the five hours each day agreed to as part of their build-up to the opening Grand Slam of the year.
According to local media, former Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens and Japan’s Kei Nishikori were among those on the plane, which departed from Los Angeles.—AP
