Doubts have been cast once again over the upcoming Australian Open, as an entire chartered flight arriving from Los Angeles was sent into mandatory quarantine, following two positive COVID-19 cases being discovered amongst passengers.
Mexican player Santiago González shared the email he received on his Instagram story – reportedly from Tennis Australia – which landed in his inbox after he arrived in Melbourne from LA on Friday morning.
[Image: Instagram / @gonzalezsanty]
“Two people on your flight QR7943 from LAX that arrived at 5.15am on Friday 15 January have returned positive PCR tests on arrival in Melbourne,” the email began.
“The Chief Health Officer has reviewed the flight and has determined that everyone on board needs to isolate and will be confined to their rooms for the 14 day quarantine period.”
This means that everyone on board the chartered flight likely won’t be able to leave their rooms for their previously-allowed five hours of training per day, and will be confined to their rooms until Tuesday, 28 January at the earliest.
The email detailed that someone from the medical expert team would be in contact to talk through mental health, wellbeing and medical concerns, and stressed that the players and teams are fully supported through their mandatory quarantine period.
“We know that this is not how you imagined your preparations for the AO would start,” the email read.
“Our entire term is here to support you and do everything that we can to get you through this.”
Gonzalez has been in quarantine in the View Hotel in Melbourne, and tested negative to COVID-19 on Saturday afternoon. It’s believed that the flight was also the same that Tennys Sandgren had boarded, after testing positive to COVID-19 in November, and then again on Monday January 11.
It’s not confirmed who presented the positive tests upon arriving in Melbourne, thought the Daily Telegraph has reported that one is believed to be a player-coach. It’s also believed that both positive cases are not showing signs of symptoms.
We’ll keep you updated on this one, and how it may impact the 2021 Australian Open, which is due to kick off on Monday, February 8.
