Murray could miss Australian Open after testing positive for coronavirus
Scottish tennis player Andy Murray could miss the Australian Open after testing positive for Covid-19.
The 33-year-old was set to fly out to Melbourne on a chartered flight arriving there over the next 36 hours. Instead, he remains in quarantine and isolating at home in London.
Britain’s Press Association news agency said Murray, who is said to be in good health, is hoping to be able to arrive in Australia at a later date.
He pulled out of last week’s ATP event in Delray Beach as he wanted to “minimise the risks” of travelling on a transatlantic flight to Florida. Murray, a former world No 1 and three-time Grand Slam champion, has slipped in the rankings in recent years following hip surgery.
He is a five-time runner-up in Melbourne but having dropped to 123 in the world rankings, is ranked too low to gain direct entry into the tournament so has been given a wildcard.
Murray is the latest player to have his plans disrupted, with world No 2 Rafael Nadal travelling to Melbourne in search of a record 21st Grand Slam men’s singles title without coach Carlos Moya, who has decided to stay at home in Spain because of the health situation. World No 3 Dominic Thiem’s coach Nicolas Massu has also not travelled after a positive Covid test.
More than 1,200 players and support staff started arriving in Australia from Thursday for 14 days’ quarantine ahead of the delayed tournament, which is due to start on February 8.
Players must test negative before taking one of the 15 chartered flights – which have been put on by tournament organisers and will operate at 25 per cent capacity – to Australia.
Craig Tiley, the Australian Open tournament director, has spent months trying to deal with the logistical nightmares caused by the pandemic.
Tennis Australia said players were only allowed into Australia with proof of a negative Covid-19 test prior to departure, or with approval as a recovered case at the discretion of the Australian government.
The tournament has already been delayed three weeks because restrictions in place for the pandemic, and is set to start on February 8. On Wednesday, nearly 12,000 kilometres from Melbourne, the qualifying tournament was completed for the tournament, with 16 men and 16 women set to join the singles main draw.
Due to the Australian restrictions, the men’s and women’s qualifying tournaments – in Dubai and Doha – were held outside of Australia for the first time.