Efforts by Novak Djokovic to make adjustments to the conditions for players quarantining in Australia have been overwhelmingly rejected by government officials.
On Sunday it was reported that the 17-time Grand Slam champion wrote a letter to Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley in which he outlined a series of measures he would like to see implemented in order to make the current conditions for players better. Among his list of suggestions, Djokovic called for players to be moved to private housing with access to tennis courts. He also urged for more testing to be conducted in a bid to reduce the length of ‘hard quarantine’ some are going through.
Djokovic’s letter comes as at least 72 players are currently placed in stricter quarantine after being classed as a close contact to a positive case. En route to Melbourne a series of flights reported at least one person on board have tested positive for COVID-19. Under regional rules, all those on board the plans are classed as closed contacts. Those affected are required to stay in their room for 14 days and will not be allowed to train.
Responding to the letter Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has shut down Djokovic’s ideas without any hesitation. Speaking to reports Mr Andrews insisted that no special treatment will be given.
“People are free to provide lists of demands but the answer is no,” he said.
“I know that there’s been a bit of chatter from a number of players about the rules – well, the rules apply to them as they apply to everybody else, and they were all briefed on that before they came and that was a condition on which they came.’
“There’s no special treatment here … because a virus doesn’t treat you specially.”
Emma Cassar, who is the COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria Commissioner, shares a similar view to the Premier regarding Djokovic. Stating that there will be no changes made to the current rules.
“It’s a firm NO from me,” Cassar told 3AW Radio.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is showing little sympathy to Djokovic’s initiative as he called for everybody to continue following the rules implemented.
“I think it’s just time people followed the rules, do their quarantine, play Tennis,” Morrison commented on the matter. “I’m sure they’ll put on a great spectacle and the Australian Open will go ahead.”
Under a plan set out by Tennis Australia, Djokovic is spending his quarantine in Adelaide along with the three highest ranked players on both the ATP and WTA Tour’s. Meanwhile, others are residing in Melbourne.
The Australian Open will start on February 8th.
The things Djokovic asked for
- 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 47* 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
