Australian Open 2021: Rohan Bopanna advised strict quarantine following Covid-19 scare on Doha flight
Preparations for the 2021 Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, has been chaotic to say the least
Star Indian doubles player Rohan Bopanna has been forced into strict quarantine ahead of the 2021 Australian Open as a person tested positive in his flight from Doha to Melbourne.
The preparations of 72 players, including prominent stars like Victoria Azarenka, Angelique Kerber, Kei Nishikori have been stalled after having come to Australia in a Covid-19 affected flight.
Players who travelled in three of the 15 chartered flights arranged for the Australian Open participants had to go into quarantine after a co-passenger or staff tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in Australia.
Passengers in flights from Abu Dhabi and Los Angeles were quarantined on Saturday.
On Sunday, passengers of the flight from Doha (QR 7485) were informed that one of the passengers in their flight has also tested positive. A total of 25 players were on board this flight.
“We were just informed that one person on our flight has tested positive for the virus. There were two flights that had left from Doha, unfortunately, the person who tested positive was in our flight,” Rohan Bopanna to the Olympic Channel.
“The best thing to do for now is to make sure that the mind is occupied. Maybe I'll do some online courses or watch TV,” he added.
His coach Scott Davidoff has also been forced into strict quarantine. Davidoff was on the flight from Los Angeles that was affected.
Bopanna, ranked 38 in the world, was hoping to kick-off his season at one of the ATP events in Melbourne. It is scheduled to begin on January 31, two days after Bopanna finishes the mandatory quarantine.
The 2017 French Open Mixed Doubles winner is set to play the two tournaments in Melbourne, including the Australian Open with Portugal's Joao Sousa.