London
Former world number one tennis player Andy Murray’s place at next months Australian Open is in doubt, because he’s tested positive for coronavirus.
The five-time runner up in Melbourne is now self-isolating, but remains in good health. Now ranked 123rd in the world, he was awarded a wildcard to play in the main draw and still hopes to compete in the event, which is due to begin on February 8th.
However, that could prove difficult with players and officials already arriving in Australia during a special 36-hour window and needing to serve a mandatory isolation of 14 days.
The state of Victoria, once Australia’s COVID-19 hotspot, has said it will impose the strongest protocols seen at any tennis tournament for those flying in.
One of those is due to be the U.S.’s top-50 ranked men’s player Tennys Sandgren. He got special permission to board a chartered flight from LA bound for the Australian Open on Wednesday (January 13) despite returning a positive COVID-19 test earlier in the week, having previously had the virus in late November.
Tennis Australia said in a statement the decision to allow Sandgren to fly had been made after a review by medical officials.
Former champion Rafael Nadal is another to have his preparations disrupted. He’ll be travelling to Australia without his coach Carlos Moya, who’s decided to stay in Spain because of concerns over the ongoing health situation.—AP
