Australian Open 2021 in trouble: fans' fears worsen after worker tests COVID-19 positive

Things have not looked up for the Australian Open 2021 ever since the tournament dates were announced late last year. The Grand Slam has run into problems almost since the day it began. First, the dates for the fixture had to be pushed back by at least a month in order to accommodate Melbourne's strict quarantine rules. The organisers lost a hotel just weeks before players were meant to fly in after residents threatened to pursue legal action against them. The pushback from the local community has been constant and became heightened after multiple cases of the virus were recorded on the chartered jets flying in players for the Slam. 

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Fans call out Tennis Australia after COVID fiasco at ATP Cup

Having weathered all these storms, and with the players having completed their 14-day quarantines without any major incidents, there is no doubt that Tennis Australia is keen to get the Australian Open 2021 up and running. However, the tournament may have to clear one last hurdle before it can get underway. A hotel worker at the tournament's quarantine hotel has now tested positive for the coronavirus, leading to a suspension in play at the ongoing ATP Cup and throwing a spanner in the works for Tennis Australia. 

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The suspension of the ATP Cup may have enormous consequences on the Australian Open schedule. With the Aus Open slated to begin on February 8 and the ATP Cup scheduled to end on February 6, there is a minuscule buffer between the events. With an unknown number of players and staff now needing further testing and isolation for a yet-to-be-revealed period of time, the Slam could be delayed even more. Simply from a PR perspective, this has not been the best of exercises for Tennis Australia.

The organisers have been bombarded by tweets from fans and angry locals who feel that the tournament should not have been conducted at the cost of putting lives at risk. They are also being called out for increasing the likelihood of the virus making its way back into the population of Melbourne, who have, at great cost, beaten it once already. However, other fans have pointed out that since each of the players went through a 14-day quarantine and multiple tests, it is unlikely that one of them gave the worker the virus. Here are some fan reactions to the incident:

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ATP Cup update

Russia (Group D) and Italy (Group C) have become the first two teams to make it to the semi-final of the ATP Cup 2021. Both teams have made it through with a 4-2 margin. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are slated to open proceedings on Friday if things go ahead as planned. Serbia lead Group A and will face Germany next while Spain are No. 2 in Group B and go up against Greece next.

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Image Credits: AP