December 2, 2020 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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The first major of 2021 has already had a slight change, as the Australian Open’s start date has been bumped back to February 8, according to Australian media outlets who have seen an e-mail from Tournament Director Craig Tiley.
“It’s taken a while, but the great news is it looks like we are going to be able to hold the Australian Open on February 8,” the e-mail said, according to The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. “Players will have to quarantine for two weeks from 15 January, but the Victorian Government has agreed to special conditions for AO participants—agreeing that they need to be able to prepare for a Grand Slam.”
Prior to training, players must test negative for COVID-19 on their first day of isolation, and will be tested four more times prior to the event’s start.
There are still details to be worked out before the plan is finalized, but both the Victorian government and tournament organizers are committed to running the event to begin 2021.
