Unvaccinated players will reportedly be free to play at the Australian Open after details of the tournament protocols were revealed in a leaked email from the Women's Tennis Association.
That situation could yet change if the Victorian or Federal governments mandate all those entering the state or country require vaccination.
On Monday, all WTA players were informed of the current guidelines surrounding vaccinations and quarantine at the year's first Grand Slam.
Vaccinated players will not be required to quarantine, while those without jabs will be subject to 14 days "hard quarantine."
"We feel the need to reach out to you all to clear up false and misleading information that has recently been spread by other parties about the conditions that players will be forced to endure at next year's Australian Open." the email said.
The conditions for fully vaccinated players are that they:
- Can arrive any time after December 1st
- Must have a negative test within 72 hours of departure
- Must test within 24 hours of arrival
- Are not required to quarantine or stay in a bubble
- Will have no ongoing restrictions imposed on them
- Will have complete freedom of movement
For unvaccinated players, the conditions currently are that they:
- Can arrive any time after December 1st but will be subject to two weeks hard quarantine
- Must have a negative test within 72 hours of departure
- Are required to go through mandatory hotel quarantine for 14 days upon arrival
- Must submit to regular testing
🐨Update on #AusOpen🐨
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) October 24, 2021
Per email sent to WTA players just now, Tennis Australia has told WTA PC that fully vaccinated players won’t be required to quarantine or bubble at all.
Unvaccinated players will be allowed to enter, TA tells WTA, but must do 14 days of hotel quarantine. pic.twitter.com/cu4NV8abYB
The information from the WTA appears to align with comments made by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews last week.
"I don't think an unvaccinated tennis player is going to get a visa to come into this country," Andrews said on Tuesday.
"If they did get a visa, they'd probably have to quarantine for a couple of weeks when no other players will have to.
"I don't think any other tennis player, or golfer, or Formula One driver, will even get a visa to get here.
"Professional sport is part of that authorised worker list and they have to be double dose vaccinated."
Last week, men's number one and 20-time major winner Novak Djokovic didn't reveal his vaccination status and admitted he was uncertain whether he'd play in the Open.
"Things beings as they are, I still don’t know if I will go to Melbourne," Djokovic told Serbian publication Blic.
"I will not reveal my status whether I have been vaccinated or not, it is a private matter and an inappropriate inquiry."
