A lot of WTA players have already arrived in Melbourne on charter flights. Let’s have a look at how they’re spending their first days in Australia. We can notice that general mood is gratefulness, as the athletes are happy to have the opportunity to travel and compete despite a ban on international arrivals into the country and two-week quarantine they have to endure.
We’ve made it to Melbourne🤞🏼 thanks @CraigTiley and @ausgov for making this possible❤️🦘 14days🔛 pic.twitter.com/JH0yocW4BW
— Daria Kasatkina (@DKasatkina) January 15, 2021
Daria Kasatkina expressed her appreciation of Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley for the hard work he’s done to make all this possible.
Made it to Melbourne! Thank you everyone so much for making it happen. I can only imagine how many hours of work and compromise it took for us to be here! Thank you 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/Jt0ywFIEj4
— victoria azarenka (@vika7) January 15, 2021
Victoria Azarenka is also among the first of about 1,200 players, team members, coaches and officials that landed late Thursday. The last batch of travelers will arrive by early Saturday. Before boarding their flights, restricted to 25% capacity, players underwent COVID-19 tests and they will be tested a handful more times during the quarantine period.
Hello from #Melbourne 🇦🇺😁! Thank you @AustralianOpen and everyone who is involved to make this huge effort for events to happen 🤩🤩🤩 pic.twitter.com/pGQhiTridS
— Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) January 14, 2021
Elina Svitolina showed us her luxury suite with the city view.
Well hello there beautiful Melbourne.
It’s so nice to see you again 🇦🇺❤️#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/jf2KsTOrwj
— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) January 15, 2021
As you can see, most players are enjoying the Melbourne cityscape from their hotel rooms.
Quarantine day 1. #jetlag pic.twitter.com/Ns2UnyvBkN
— Barbora Strycova (@BaraStrycova) January 15, 2021
hello 🇦🇺🙌🏻 @AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/zlJYt5Aa5z
— Marta Kostyuk (@marta_kostyuk) January 15, 2021
Johanna Konta is busy working out.
Let the hotel room workouts begin! 🙋♀️ pic.twitter.com/gQFQOLK5Oi
— Johanna Konta (@JohannaKonta) January 15, 2021
Madison Keys, Amanda Anisimova, Magda Linette, and Kiki Bertens will not play the 2021 Australian Open. Keys and Anisimova will miss the tournament because of their positive COVID-19 tests, Linette’s knee injury got severely worse and she’ll have to undergo a minor surgery, while Bertens is still nursing her Achilles injury. Dayana Yastremska is the strangest case: the Ukrainian has arrived in Melbourne, but it’s unclear how she would be allowed to compete because of her provisional doping ban.
The Australian Open is scheduled to start on February 8.
Im so disappointed in and for Amanda. She is my fave active player and she really seemed to have a careless off season. I hope she learns form this and takes her career a bit more seriously from now on. As for Madison I really do feel sorry for her. She has been very unlucky over the years.
I have to admit there has been a lot of bad press and ill feeling from the public here in Aus about letting this event go ahead and letting players into the country before Aus citizens who want to get home. While I totally understand why they are angry and I would be too if I was overseas and wanted to get home I also hope the event goes well and doesn’t cause any more concern.
Andy, you can never please everyone. Tennis Australia has the best intention to keep tennis alive, but it is definitely a very challenging task. Even at the very beginning they are facing difficulties as some ppl from one of the charter flights has tested positive.