Tennis Australia and government authorities had
arranged for players to serve a 14-day mandatory quarantine at
the Westin Melbourne ahead of the Feb. 8-21 Australian Open.
On Tuesday, the plan was scrapped after apartment owners at the
Westin complained they had not been properly consulted and would
seek an injunction against it.
"Following consultation between the owners of The Westin
Melbourne, the hotel's existing residents and COVID-19
Quarantine Victoria the decision has been made to accommodate
players and their support teams arriving in Melbourne for the
upcoming ATP at an alternate hotel location," the Westin said in
a statement.
Graeme Efron, a lawyer representing the owners, told Reuters the
quarantine plan was "never going to get through".
"It was the epitome of hubris that they thought people would go
along with it without being consulted," he said.
International players at the Australian Open are expected to
arrive in Melbourne from mid-January.
Victoria state Police Minister Lisa Neville told reporters on
Tuesday an alternative quarantine hotel had been secured for the
players, which would be "stood up today or tomorrow".
Many of the world's top players are planning to compete at
tournaments at Melbourne Park in the week before the Grand Slam.
World number one Novak Djokovic and second-ranked Rafa Nadal are
scheduled to play at the team-based ATP Cup, meaning they would
need to arrive in Melbourne at least two weeks before the Feb.
1-5 tournament to complete quarantine in time.
Melbourne, capital of Victoria state, was the epicentre of
Australia's largest second wave outbreak of COVID-19, which
started at two quarantine hotels for international arrivals.
More than 18,000 infections were recorded in Victoria during the
outbreak and nearly 800 deaths.
Victoria recorded four new cases of COVID-19 in Melbourne on
Tuesday, including one in hotel quarantine.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom;; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
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