MELBOURNE: Unvaccinated players will be allowed to compete at the Australian Open but must do 14 days in quarantine, according to a leaked WTA email on Monday, although a government official insisted the matter was "not settled." The email to players from the women's governing body was leaked to New York Times tennis writer Ben Rothenberg, who posted it on Twitter, and contradicts officials' earlier statements implying unvaccinated players would not be granted visas. The email said that players fully inoculated against coronavirus would not have to quarantine or remain in bio-secure bubbles, enjoying "complete freedom of movement." Unvaccinated players can come to Australia but would have to undergo two weeks' mandatory hotel quarantine and submit to regular testing, it stated. Tennis Australia told AFP it was "optimistic that we can hold the Australian Open as close to pre-pandemic conditions as possible."

Source: Manila Times October 26, 2021 00:45 UTC