Two Australian Open players tested positive for Covid-19 this Tuesday, for which there are already seven people infected related to the tournament. A chaos that threatens the celebration of the first major of the course, whose start is scheduled for February 8.
Roberto Bautista’s harsh words of complaint, for which he later apologised, have added fuel to the fire. The Spaniard harshly criticised the strict quarantine measures imposed by the Victorian government for players and their teams.
“I want to apologise to all the people who have been offended by the video that has been published about me recently.” Bautista said.
“It is a private conversation taken out of context, which has unfortunately been disseminated to the means without my being aware or having my consent,” Bautista added.
Unlike Bautista, former world number one Victoria Azarenka, urged her fellow tennis players to accept and adapt to current protocols and health rules.
“Hard quarantine is very tough to accept in terms of all the work that everyone has been putting in during their off seaso,” posted Azarenka on her social media.
“For playing our first Grand Slam of the year, I understand all the frustration and feeling of unfairness that has been coming and it is overwhelming.
“I would like to ask all my collagues for cooperation, understanding and empathy for the local community that has been going through a lot of very demanding restrictions that they did not choose, but were forced to follow.” Azarenka added.
The Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has confirmed, reaffirming the 8 February start date for the tournament with tiredness etched across his face.
“The Australian Open is going ahead and we will continue to do the best we possibly can do to ensure those players have the best opportunity,” Tiley said.
