Cases reach 10, Aussie Open to pay quarantine bill

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic playing tennis with a support staff member on a balcony at M Suites in Adelaide, where they are quarantined ahead of the Australian Open. In contrast in Melbourne, more than 70 players and their entourage are confined to th
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic playing tennis with a support staff member on a balcony at M Suites in Adelaide, where they are quarantined ahead of the Australian Open. In contrast in Melbourne, more than 70 players and their entourage are confined to their hotel rooms and unable to train under a hard quarantine. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

MELBOURNE • Two more Australian Open players have tested positive for Covid-19, an official said yesterday, as the government confirmed it would send the quarantine bill for the tournament to Tennis Australia's (TA) desk.

Victoria state Police Minister Lisa Neville said two players and a non-playing Australian Open participant comprised three new infections reported yesterday.

A total of 10 people associated with the Grand Slam, including four players, have now tested positive for the virus.

There has been confusion over the exact numbers, with several test results later reclassified by authorities as "viral shedding" from previous infections. The people involved are not contagious.

Ms Neville said the authorities were "very confident" one of the two new player infections was a case of viral shedding.

"Of the other two, it's less clear that they're shedding. That will be worked through, and that's one player and one support person," she told reporters.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said two players reported to have tested positive on Tuesday were also viral shedders.

More than 70 players and their entourage are confined to their hotel rooms for 14 days and unable to train for the Feb 8-21 Slam after passengers on three charter flights returned positive tests.

Players not considered close contacts of positive cases are allowed outside to train for up to five hours a day in a biosecurity bubble.

Striving to remain match-fit for lead-up tournaments beginning Jan 31, many who are isolated have turned their hotel rooms into makeshift gyms and resorted to hitting tennis balls off hotel walls.

The conditions have prompted complaints from several tennis stars, including world No. 13 Roberto Bautista Agut, who told a TV station that quarantine was like prison "with Wi-Fi".

He later issued an apology on Twitter "to everyone who has been offended" by the remarks, saying it was a "private conversation taken out of context".

Kazakh women's world No. 28 Yulia Putintseva complained again of mice in her quarantine hotel room. Ms Neville promised more pest control but urged players not to feed the rodents.

The authorities have shelled out huge amounts to fly over 1,200 players, coaches and officials on 17 charter flights to Australia to put on the year's first Grand Slam - angering some Australians, with thousands of citizens stranded overseas due to travel restrictions.

Tiley told radio station 3AW quarantine costs may exceed A$40 million (S$41 million), part of which would be covered by the state government.

Ms Neville was adamant taxpayers would not be footing the bill for the quarantine costs, prompting TA to row back and issue a statement saying that the tournament organisers would pick up the tab.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 21, 2021, with the headline Cases reach 10, Aussie Open to pay quarantine bill. Subscribe