MELBOURNE: A potential back-flip on border entry requirements for the Australian Open may allow unvaccinated players to compete at the first tennis major of 2022 after undergoing 14 days in quarantine.

Last week, high-ranking federal and state government political leaders said players who hadn’t received two doses of a recognised Covid-19 vaccine were unlikely to get visas for the Jan 17-30 tournament at Melbourne Park.

Early on Monday, a leaked email from the WTA to its Players Council, reported by the New York Times and Melbourne’s The Age newspaper, suggested unvaccinated players would likely be granted a visa but must do two weeks in isolation in a quarantine hotel.

Fully vaccinated players would not have to undergo quarantine.

A significant proportion of players on the women’s WTA and men’s ATP tour remain unvaccinated, and men’s world number one Novak Djokovic has declined to disclose his vaccination status.

In the email, the WTA said it wanted to “clear up false and misleading information” about the conditions players would face at the Australian Open.

The WTA said the information came from organisers Tennis Australia, who had requested players keep it confidential for “a few days” as they were still discussing the details with the government.

Tennis Australia later on Monday said it was still working with various levels of government on the conditions for players at the Grand Slam event.

“Everyone has been buoyed by the easing of restrictions over the past week,” the statement said. “We are optimistic that we can hold the Australian Open as close to pre-pandemic conditions as possible.”

Victoria state Sports Minister Martin Pakula insisted Monday that the vaccination requirements were “not settled yet”.

“We’re still talking to the Commonwealth (national government) about whether the rule for international unvaccinated arrivals is either 14 days quarantine or they’re not coming into the country at all,” he said in response to the leaked email.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2021