Australian Open | According to the WTA, unvaccinated players can play

This WTA player has been forwarded to Email Reporter New York Times Tennis specialist Ben Rothenberg posted this on his Twitter account.

The information contradicts statements made by many senior Australian officials that those who are not vaccinated cannot obtain visas. “Visitors to Australia should be double-vaccinated,” Federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawk said a few days ago.

The decision announced in the WTA email also applies to players in the men’s round, which allows world number one Novak Djokovic to participate.

Serb looking for defending champion and history in Melbourne21^E The Grand Slam title, which has previously publicly taken a stand against vaccines, refuses to say whether he himself has been vaccinated against the coronavirus. Last week, he questioned his presence at the Australian Open.

According to an email from the WTA, vaccinated players do not have to be detained on arrival or sealed in sanitary “bubbles” and enjoy “total freedom of movement”. On the other hand, the document goes on, those who are not vaccinated must be detained for 14 days during hotel and regular examinations.

“We are contacting all of you to clarify the false and misleading information spread by third parties about the conditions faced by the players in Melbourne,” the email said.

“Because of the vaccination rate in the state of Victoria [où se trouve Melbourne] With 80% at the end of the week and 90% next month, it has been confirmed that player conditions at the Australian Open will improve significantly, ”the text continues.

However, Victorian Minister of State for Sports Martin Pakula clarified that the rules regarding the vaccination of open players are “not yet stable”.

“We are still discussing […] To find out whether the arrival of those who have not been vaccinated internationally will be a 14-day detention or not approved in the country, ”he said. “It should not be decided for two weeks.”