Players arrive for Australian Open; straight into quarantine

The virus news wasn't so good for five-time finalist Andy Murray, whose status for the Australian Open was put in doubt after he tested positive for COVID-19 only days before his planned flight to Melbourne. The tournament says that the three-time Grand Slam champion, who was given a wild card for Melbourne, is isolating at home. Tennis Australia said Murray will miss the charter flights and won't be able "to go through the quarantine period with the other players." His chances of appearing at the tournament appear to be in serious doubt.

Also Americans Madison Keys and Tennys Sandgren returned positive tests, but Sandgren was given permission to fly.

"I unfortunately tested positive for (COVID-19) before I was supposed to fly to Australia," Keys said on social media. "I'm very disappointed to not be able to play in the coming weeks after training hard in the off-season . . . I am self-isolating at home and will continue to follow all the necessary health precautions. I look forward to being back on tour next month." Sandgren originally tested positive in November, with Victorian state health authorities in Australia determining he was no longer contagious though still shedding viral particles.

"My two tests were less than 8 weeks apart. I was sick in November, totally healthy now," Sandgren tweeted. "There's not a single documented case where I would be contagious at this point. Totally recovered!" The Australian Open has already been delayed three weeks because restrictions in place for the COVID-19 pandemic. And because of the Australian restrictions, the men's and women's qualifying tournaments — in Doha, Qatar and in Dubai — were held outside of Australia for the first time.

The charter flights were restricted to 25% capacity, and were set to arrive over a 36-hour period ending early Saturday.

Once a negative result has been returned, players can train within a strictly supervised environment for five hours per day.

The Australian Open draw will be held on Feb. 4, four days ahead of the start of the main tournament, which ends Feb. 21 with the men's singles final.

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams will be among a group of players involved in an exhibition event in Adelaide, South Australia state, on Jan. 29. Those players flew straight to Adelaide to begin their hotel quarantine period.

All other tournaments will be in Melbourne, including the 12-team ATP Cup starting Feb. 1 and two WTA events in the week leading into the Australian Open.

AP