Australian Open: Melbourne returns to lockout amid tennis tournament

MELBOURNE.- Tennis players remembered how happy they were to live in the “old world”. Enjoy the freedom to walk the streets without a mask, to be able to go out for a drink. Enjoy life as it was known before the coronavirus pandemic. But hardly four days after the start of the Australian Open, this paradise has returned to quarantine. After confirming five cases of Covid-19 in the city, the Victorian government has decided to declare total isolation for five days, while waiting to control the situation. Yes this happens in the midst of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the season.

In an attempt to stem a possible resurgence of the pandemic, the Prime Minister of the State of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, said this containment was necessary to stop an epidemic of the British “hyper-infectious” variant of the coronavirus, appeared in one of the hotels in which several players and participants of the Australian Open were quarantined.

The organizers fear that the suspension of the competition will also be ordered. For now, as Andrews made the announcement, the games continued to be played.

The first reports indicate that people will not be able to leave their homes. You will only be allowed to leave the house for essential purchases. And under no circumstances will transfers of more than five kilometers be authorized.

How will this affect tennis? There are still no details. First, the tournament will cease to be played at the open house. Two nights ago, Nick Kyrgios’ game was bursting with fervor in the stadium seats. And this passion has allowed tennis to experience such a moment, at the Davis Cup, as it had not seen for a year. This will no longer be possible.

Players, like citizens, will be forced to stay in the hotels where they are staying. Return to “bubble” mode, to avoid contagion.

Agencia AFP

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