In recent weeks, the Australian and Victorian governments have told the tennis world that unvaccinated players are not willing to issue entry visas and allow them to enter the country. Australia’s Covid rules are still very strict, one has to go through several sieves to gain admission in the country. Thus, among other things, Novak Djokovic’s anti-vaccination role in the first Grand Slam of 2022 was in great doubt.
Interestingly, 35% of the male professional field participants, the ATP Tour, remain unvaccinated, so there could have been serious absences if only vaccinated players had taken part in the tournament. This time, the WTA, the women’s field organization, explained in an open letter the issue that has been hanging in the air so far:
All tennis players can participate in the Australian Open, however, unprotected players face a very dangerous two-week quarantine and daily testing.
Epidemic players will no longer be subject to any rules and will be able to move around the Australian city without restrictions, he writes BBC.
However, unvaccinated players face a strict 14-day quarantine in their accommodation and must be tested every day. Thus, the 34-year-old Serbian world leader has the chance to win the 21st Grand Slam trophy in his career, making him one player in the history of men’s tennis.
The tennis organization’s letter also reveals that the 2022 Australian Open qualifiers will be held again in Melbourne Park after the qualifiers held in Dubai last year to curb the pandemic.
(Cover Image: Getty Images)
