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The Australian Open will seemingly be delayed by one to 2 weeks, officers stated Wednesday, as talks proceed over staging the match in Melbourne, which has solely lately emerged from months of coronavirus lockdown.
A delay for every week or two to the primary Grand Slam of the 12 months, scheduled to start on January 18, was now “almost certainly”, stated Martin Pakula, the Sports activities Minister of the Victoria State authorities.
“I nonetheless suppose it is more likely that it is going to be a shorter fairly than longer delay,” Pakula stated.
The “very complicated negotiations” have been nonetheless below means however he remained assured it might go forward within the early a part of 2021.
For eight months, Australia has just about closed off from the remainder of the world, with a blanket ban on non-residents getting into the nation and residents strongly suggested in opposition to all international journey.
Australian Open chief Craig Tiley had initially wished gamers to start out arriving in Australia from mid-December so they might endure a compulsory 14-day quarantine earlier than enjoying conventional warm-up occasions.
However the plan was thrown into doubt by Victoria state Premier Dan Andrews, who reportedly is not going to permit gamers to reach earlier than January, which might make all of it however unimaginable to carry the high-profile ATP Cup and different tournaments the beginning of the Open.
Nonetheless below dialogue is whether or not gamers will have the ability to prepare or compete throughout quarantine.
It comes as Grand Slam winner Andy Murray referred to as for all gamers to be vaccinated in opposition to Covid-19 when it turns into accessible.
“I might hope that every one the gamers could be prepared to do this for the nice of the game — offering every little thing has proved to be secure, medical trials and every little thing have been achieved and there are usually not any vital side-effects,” Murray stated.
Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Nadal stated it was an unprecedented scenario and urged endurance from gamers.
“That’s troublesome for everybody,” he stated on the ATP Finals in London final week.
“We have to be versatile to know the scenario and to discover a method to play as many tournaments as potential subsequent 12 months.”
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