(Tennis news) Players competing at the 2023 Australian Open will not be required to take COVID-19 tests and will be allowed to compete even if they have the virus. Tournament director Craig Tiley said the change in health policy is in line with the wider community and is a stark contrast to the strict protocols that were put in place during the 2021 event, which was played in a biosecure bubble.
Recently, cricketer Matt Renshaw continued to play for Australia in a five-day Test match against South Africa in Sydney last week despite testing positive for COVID-19. The batsman was in isolation for the first three days of the match but returned to the dressing room after a number of negative tests. Melbourne had some of the strictest and longest lockdowns in the world during the pandemic but the policy has been relaxed since then.
“We just wanted to follow what’s currently in the community. We have gone a step further by making a recommendation around staying away when you’re ill, and that our medical staff will continue to monitor that, with the players individually as well. We’ve made it clear to our players, as well as our staff, if anyone is feeling unwell, stay home. It’s a normalised environment for us and, not dissimilar to cricket, there will potentially be players that will compete with Covid.” – Tournament director Craig Tiley
Also read: Two time Australian Open winner Naomi Osaka pulls out of the event
