Novak Djokovic calls for better conditions for players who are quarantined in Melbourne, sends letter to AO CEO Craig Tiley

Novak Djokovic calls for better conditions for players who are quarantined in Melbourne, sends letter to AO CEO Craig Tiley
Novak Djokovic

Controversies are swirling the upcoming Australian Open 2021. The latest news that players who are arriving in Australia for the event were travelling with Covid positive passengers has created a lot of chaos. The Open authorities then took the decision that these player will not be allowed to leave their rooms during their quarantine. These players feel that they are being treated differently than the players quarantining in Adelaide.

They find this rule to be unjust and unfair. World No.1, Novak Djokovic, one of the players staying at Adelaide, wrote a letter to the Australian Open CEO Craig Tiley asking to ease some of the restrictions levied on players in Melbourne.

72 players will not be allowed to leave their rooms in Melbourne, after the flight they travelled in carried COVID positive passengers. On 16th, 47 players were asked to remain in their rooms after the two flights that carried these players also carried a passenger to tested positive for the Coronavirus. Then on the 17th, a third plane coming from Doha was plagued with the same situation. 25 players were on board this Doha flight.

Fitness and training material in all rooms: Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic

Recently journalist Fernando Murciego reported that Novak Djokovic has sent a letter to Craig Tiley asking him to ease restrictions on players quarantining in Melbourne. Djokovic asked the Australian Open authorities to consider these following proposals:

  • Fitness and training material in all rooms
  • Decent food, according to the level of the tournament and from an elite athlete
  • Reduce the days of isolation for the isolated players, carrying out more tests that confirm that all are negative
  • Permission to visit your coach or physical trainer, as long as both have passed the PCR
  • If the previous proposal has the green light, that both the player and his coach are on the same floor of the hotel
  • Move as many players as possible to private houses with a court to train

While AO authorities have not responded to these proposals, players have welcomed these proposal from Djokovic with open arms. Spanish player Paula Badosa Gibert tweeted his admiration for these proposals by saying, “Always helping and one step ahead!”

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Also Read: Belinda Bencic expresses her discontent regarding the unequal treatment of players at the Australian Open 2021