Australian Open 2021 – What Victoria’s Exclusion means for the first Slam of the tennis season

MELBOURNE, Australia – The Australian Open in 2021 already looked significantly different from previous years’ tournaments, but Friday’s announcement of a quick five-day closure of Victoria plunged matters into further chaos.

Players will again not have to get used to any crowd, with spectators barred from Melbourne Park until at least Thursday 18 February to comply with the state’s Stage 4 restrictions.

What exactly is happening in Melbourne and what does it mean for the first Grand Slam of the year? Here’s an attempt to clear things up.

What is the current COVID-19 situation in Victoria?

As of Saturday, Victoria has 20 active cases of COVID-19. Only one new case of the virus was detected in the community overnight, bringing the number of community cases (those not in hotel quarantine) to 14.

All cases that are not in hotel quarantine and their immediate close contact (such as family members and housemates) are currently isolating. In the 24 hours to midnight Friday night, 20,116 tests were done across the state.

In total, 14 active businesses have been linked to the Melbourne Airport Holiday Inn Group. The hotel was used as a hotel quarantine room for overseas arrivals, but is no longer used as such after the virus escaped and entered the community last week.

What are the latest restrictions in Victoria?

On Friday, the state government of Victoria imposed a five-day “closure” and again imposed fourth-stage restrictions for the entire state. This means that Victorians (and all visitors to the state) will be allowed to leave their home from Saturday only for one of the four reasons: to shop for the necessary goods and services, care and nursing, exercise and essential work .

The necessary goods and services include supermarkets and other food retailers, post offices, banks, pharmacies and liquor stores. Other establishments, including gyms, swimming pools and sports clubs, were forced to close for the closing period.

In addition to attending and providing essential work, Victorians are also not allowed to leave a 5-kilometer radius around their homes, while wearing face masks at all times – unless they are doing strenuous exercises such as running. A full list of restrictions can be found here.

Do players have to comply with the latest restrictions?

Yes, but under the restrictions they are defined as ‘essential workers’ and may attend their work – in this case Melbourne Park. However, once they have left the area, they must follow the same rules as everyone else in Victoria, including leaving their home just for the four essential reasons. Since practice is part of their job, they may practice on the courts at Melbourne Park if they are not playing. Players must wear masks inside and out except when practicing.

During their initial 14-day quarantine, those who were not severely locked up were allowed to exercise five hours a day, but this restriction does not apply to current restrictions.

While the current five-day exclusion is in place, Rod Laver Arena’s 22 suites will host the top art still in the tournament. The players will be able to use it as their locker rooms and rest areas as a way to help with the social distance around Melbourne Park. According to Tennis Australia, the top 11 results of the draw for men and women in the tournament will each get a suite.

Who else may be admitted to Melbourne Park?

The Melbourne Park site will look pretty bare this weekend and into the second week of the tournament with fans unable to take part. Apart from the players and coaches, there are a few other people who can be seen wandering around the site.

“Those who are essential for the delivery of the event will be on site,” tournament director Craig Tiley said Friday afternoon.

This means that referees and ballers will continue their roles as normal. Security is also allowed on site, along with members of the media, including photographers, broadcasters and written press.

What happens to fans who have had tickets for days 6 to 10?

While it may be disappointing that fans will not be able to attend the Australian Open, they will not be left out of the bag. Tennis Australia is offering full refunds to every ticket fan from Saturday to next Wednesday, with an announcement on how they can apply for refunds immediately. Details will be shared as soon as it is known.

Are those who were forced to leave Rod Laver Arena on Friday night eligible for a refund?

World no. 1, Novak Djokovic, said he had ‘never seen anything like it’ when fans of Rod Laver Arena were asked to leave the venue on Friday at 11:30 p.m. With the evening clock threatening, the game was suspended for 15 minutes when spectators were sent home by security. That meant Djokovic and American Taylor Fritz had to play out their decisive fifth set in an empty stadium, while fans who had to leave could not see what an epic finish would be.

Although it has not been confirmed, Tennis Australia will probably also refund all the tickets purchased for Friday night’s session at Rod Laver Arena, despite fans being able to watch the previous 5 hours of play.