Love, Balls and Courting: Tennis V

[*Jen*]

Players have the same refrain, that they were not told they would need to quarantine if a case was found on the plane. Not sure where the comms break happened.

It happened when most of them didn’t bother to turn up to a Zoom call about a month ago where it was very clearly conveyed. Artem Sitak (NZ) said as much.

Well there was this statement from Craig Tiley in October.

October was a long time ago. It was before the AO was approved at all and it was before the new more transmissible variants were announced. It was finalised a month ago with this rule in place. It’s very unfortunate that no one bothered to read the updated information, but given how fast things are changing worldwide...they really should have

As for why it was allowed to go ahead - the risk can be managed (as we are seeing) and it is a huge boost to the Victorian economy, which desperately needs it. I’m glad it’s being held - it means some people have jobs who wouldn’t otherwise.

 

[starrynight]

It was before the AO was approved at all and it was before the new more transmissible variants were announced. It was finalised a month ago with this rule in place. It’s very unfortunate that no one bothered to read the updated information, but given how fast things are changing worldwide...they really should have

Oh so they were told? But nobody read the information?

Okay, fair enough, I'll retract my criticism of Tennis Australia making promises it can't keep.

This all makes sense now.

It happened when most of them didn’t bother to turn up to a Zoom call about a month ago where it was very clearly conveyed. Artem Sitak (NZ) said as much.

Thanks for the link. Sitak is a New Zealander, so I think the quarantine process is an clear thing to him as New Zealand's system is very similar. I think we are seeing a bit of a culture clash with players from other countries with minimal rona mitigation being confused by the strictness of the procedures.

(FYI - that's why I have some reservations about Worlds because you are really going to see the difference between the attitudes of athletes from different countries there).

 

[*Jen*]

Thanks for the link. Sitak is a New Zealander, so I think the quarantine process is an clear thing to him as New Zealand's system is very similar. I think we are seeing a bit of a culture clash with players from other countries with minimal rona mitigation being confused by the strictness of the procedures.

I think you’re right re culture clash. I really do have empathy for those players in quarantine who didn’t know if could happen - it would be awful. I do wonder whether any would have decided not to come if they’d known. It must be a very difficult thing to grasp for people elsewhere that...we don’t have crud circulating (much ) and that is a direct result of quarantine measures such as these. We worked hard to get into this position and we really don’t want to risk it for a game of tennis.

So I feel really sorry for those in quarantine who were taken by surprise but...they’ve gotta stay there. Sorry.

My friend likened one positive case on a plane to a smoking section in a restaurant or peeing in a pool. Gross, but true. Everyone on those flights is at risk, it’s just how airborne transmission works.

 

[Desperado]

Especially with the new variant, transmission is much more likely than before.

Thanks for the info from Sitak @*Jen* I had only seen a tweet in a langage I couldn’t understand (his mother tongue maybe?) I have also seen info by a few women’s players (including Ons Jabeur) who said the call was for ATP players only, not WTA. There could be an issue there as well.

 

[starrynight]

I think you’re right re culture clash. It must be a very difficult thing to grasp for people elsewhere that...we don’t have crud circulating (much ) and that is a direct result of quarantine measures such as these. We worked hard to get into this position and we really don’t want to risk it for a game of tennis.

Yes. I read this morning that a French tennis player issued an apology after going on a bit of a twitter rant.

She explained that she had then been told about how Australia has had closed international borders and closed state borders for almost a year and that lots of people haven't seen loved ones for a very long time because of the restrictions, haven't been able to return to the country etc. She said that she then understood she shouldn't complain.

Which makes sense to me. I think that international people have a different experience and don't understand the situation here. Which is fair enough.

PS Wondering in the back of my mind what would happen if this happened in skating and we put Plushenko and Tutberidze's lot into a hard 14 day quarantine. lol

 

[*Jen*]

Especially with the new variant, transmission is much more likely than before.

Thanks for the info from Sitak @*Jen* I had only seen a tweet in a langage I couldn’t understand (his mother tongue maybe?) I have also seen info by a few women’s players (including Ons Jabeur) who said the call was for ATP players only, not WTA. There could be an issue there as well.

Ooh that could explain it. Very sucky if so!

 

[Desperado]

Alize Cornet was the Frech player asking for forgivenesses. Her first tweet was fine, but I found the second part to be very self serving (“don’t hate me Australia...)

Over the pandemic, I heard more and more shady players stories (mostly about male players) and saw more and more despicable behaviour in relation to the virus and temper tantrums on court and I am no longer super generous towards players’ actions.

These are not 4-yr olds. This is their job. They have staff that depend on them (coaches, physios, etc.) so the onus is on them to inform themselves about the rules or pay someone to do it for them.

Also, doing a simple internet search about the situation in the country hosting you before landing there, instead of creating multiple IG and Tik Tok posts, would not be a bad thing.

ETA: Quentin Moynet is reporting that many training sessions have been cancelled, sometimes hours after the start time so players have been waiting for nothing. That it a definite issue.

 

[casken]

My first thought when I heard about this was, "So how is Djokovic out there making this worse", and lo and behold, there he was.

 

[miffy]

What is Djokovic doing?

If the quarantined players decide they are not in shape to play having had no practice time, and all leave after the quarantine period, where does that leave the tournament? Will the players get fined? Will there be enough players left?

 

[*Jen*]

What is Djokovic doing?

He put forward a list of requests/demands asking for players to be let out of quarantine early, and for those actually in normal quarantine and allowed to train 5 hours a day anyway, to be moved to private accommodation with tennis courts.

The government said “it’s a hard no” I mean, the man held a super spreader event that seeded crud throughout the Balkans. Did he really think having his name on the request would help?

Good news though - some of those positive cases have been deemed old infections that are no longer infectious. Not sure how come they didn’t test positive in the pre-flight test...what test are they using for that?! But apparently a number of players will be released form hard quarantine this afternoon and able to train. Will provide a link when that info becomes available (which players etc).

 

[*Jen*]

Well - there’s good news and there is bad news. Two cases have been reclassified as old cases still shedding the virus (apparently this is established by a blood/PCR test, which shows they’re not infectious).

The bad news is that as they were not the only positive cases on their respective flights, there are no changes to the hard quarantine. Two players have tested positive too.

Meanwhile Victoria Azareka is a treasure. It’s a very dignified response. I really do have sympathy for those players who didn’t know the quarantine requirements (though I bet they research them for their next event but it’s hard not to when they call it prison and demand release, knowing that people lost their loved ones and their jobs to the crud, which Melbourne especially sacrificed a lot to eradicate (three months of hard lockdown compared to these players and 14 days). We can’t risk even one new case.

 

[starrynight]

This is an interesting article: https://www.news.com.au/sport/tenni...d/news-story/1eb52093c7d03d0a14a1e09a3c263213

Basically it says the players were informed, but due to cultural misunderstandings, many players likely didn’t comprehend how strictly quarantine would actually be enforced.

This makes sense to me. The different cultural reactions to rona are really obvious on this forum even. So not surprising the tennis players have that issue too.

At skating worlds, there will be hundreds of skaters, coaches and chaperones coming from hotspot areas. It is statistically highly likely that a number of them will be positive. But it seems that plans will go ahead regardless but I think that is just the culture of other places.

 

[misskarne]

Meanwhile Victoria Azareka is a treasure. It’s a very dignified response. I really do have sympathy for those players who didn’t know the quarantine requirements (though I bet they research them for their next event but it’s hard not to when they call it prison and demand release, knowing that people lost their loved ones and their jobs to the crud, which Melbourne especially sacrificed a lot to eradicate (three months of hard lockdown compared to these players and 14 days). We can’t risk even one new case.

Azarenka will be unofficially adopted over that one I bet.

I don't feel sorry for them. It's their job to know. That's as unacceptable as a Grand Prix skater doing the wrong spin because they "didn't know". They're being whiny crybabies and they can suck it up.

I can't understand how Novax Djocovid didn't realise how well his list of whinging was going to go over after that superspreader event he caused.

 

[*Jen*]

This is an interesting article: https://www.news.com.au/sport/tenni...d/news-story/1eb52093c7d03d0a14a1e09a3c263213

Basically it says the players were informed, but due to cultural misunderstandings, many players likely didn’t comprehend how strictly quarantine would actually be enforced.

This makes sense to me. The different cultural reactions to rona are really obvious on this forum even. So not surprising the tennis players have that issue too.

Agreed. Australia has had its borders closed since March last year and returning citizens have had to do the hard quarantine regardless of whether there was a positive test on their plane. For us, this is expected and normal.

But I fully appreciate that only New Zealand has been this strict, that elsewhere in the world the crud has been allowed to run rampant with few restrictions and an onus on personal responsibility. As a result of that, the idea of a country having no cases in the community or not trusting people not to spread it must be a big change of mentality for most of these players.

I hope they enjoy themselves post event when they’re out of quarantine and can go about Melbourne with next to no restrictions (apart from masks) and enjoy the actual freedom that we have not being presently in the grips of awfulness.

 

[Desperado]

I appreciated Arina Rodionova's Twitter posts too:

Arina Rodionova on Twitter: "If 100$ per day isn’t enough for you all I can say you might wanna rethink your diet. If it’s not enough for them they might wanna dip into 100k minimum check they are about to get or maybe sell a LV bag to afford some smashed avo I don’t know.." / Twitter
https://twitter.com/arinarodionova/status/1351127722916016129?s=20

Arina Rodionova on Twitter: "Actually embarrassed to be a tennis player these days, if anyone asks i am a full time gardener and a cleaner on the weekends #AO2021" / Twitter

https://twitter.com/arinarodionova/status/1351114074571083776?s=20

 

[*Jen*]

I was chatting to an American friend last night about why these hard measures are considered necessary here.

Basically, if this were being held almost anywhere else, the level of illness circulating overseas is such that letting some tennis players out to train really isn’t going to make much difference, even if someone is unknowingly infectious. That’s where most people are coming from. Instead, they’ve basically landed on another planet where the only active cases in the country right now are (hopefully) in quarantine, so even one infectious case in the community poses a big risk to public health and to the economy (noting this thing started with just one case worldwide...).

So that’s why they’re in quarantine, but I do appreciate that it’s a culture shock given that “quarantine” in other places is used much more loosely.

 

[starrynight]

@*Jen* Yes I think in lots of the world the situation has passed the point of no return, so any measures are like closing a gate after the horse has bolted.

I do just feel extremely fortunate to live in a place where people cared enough to do something while they could.

 

[*Jen*]

Unfortunately, proof that the hard quarantine is the right strategy: Paula Badosa has tested positive.

I hope she’s not too ill and recovers quickly!

 

[mjb52]

@*Jen* Yes I think in lots of the world the situation has passed the point of no return, so any measures are like closing a gate after the horse has bolted.

I do just feel extremely fortunate to live in a place where people cared enough to do something while they could.

Sorry but this is a grossly offensive thing to say. People did plenty. It didn't work. As far as I can tell, you don't appear to live in Victoria so it doesn't seem that you have been asked to do even a fraction of what people in the rest of the world have been asked to do. I wonder how you would feel about it if you had.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

@*Jen* Yes I think in lots of the world the situation has passed the point of no return, so any measures are like closing a gate after the horse has bolted.

I do just feel extremely fortunate to live in a place where people cared enough to do something while they could.

I'll ask again if you would please share where that might be so we can send messages of praise to those who made your land such a safe haven for you and your fellow inhabitants.

 

[*Jen*]

I think sentiments about the measures countries took or didn’t take are better off in the health forum, but for the record I don’t think it has anything to do with caring enough. Don’t forget that 12 months ago no one knew much about this thing, and the measures successful countries took were a big gamble (that happened to pay off) with huge economic consequences. It could easily have gone the other way.

Back on tennis, apparently Badosa’s quarantine reset when she returned a positive result, so she will have to do another 14 days and will be released, at the earliest, 3 days before the tournament (assuming that she’s free of symptoms and the blood test shows she’s no longer infectious).

 

[Desperado]

I didn’t take what @starrynight said as an offence, because I live in a Ontario where our “leadership” didn’t take the pandemic seriously enough and we’ve had hundreds of needless deaths and thousands of needless cases, and our vaccine distribution is in shambles due to lack of knowledge and preparation.

The lack of caring also created a sad trickle down effect.

Regarding tennis, I’m heartbroken that Andy Murray can’t make it to the AO, but it’s for the best and I hope to see him play again soon.

 

[*Jen*]

Regarding tennis, I’m heartbroken that Andy Murray can’t make it to the AO, but it’s for the best and I hope to see him play again soon.

Me too

 

[misskarne]

Channel 10 is reporting that Novax Djocovid has withdrawn from the "Day at the Drive" in Adelaide.

The top tennis players were allowed to quarantine under relaxed restrictions in Adelaide under the deal they would participate in the exhibition match. He was due on court in just under an hour.

And here I was thinking that awful brat Tennys whatever-his-stupid-fcuking-name-is was going to be the biggest target of fans, but Djocovid is doing a great job at making a whole country hate his guts.

 

[Sylvia]

No surprise re. Tennys Sandgren's behavior.

ETA:

Kyrgios, Nadal aim dig at Djokovic over Aus Open

Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal have both aimed digs at Novak Djokovic with the Australian saying he had a duty to call out the world No. 1 when he "lost his way" during the COVID-19 pandemic.

www.espn.com

Nadal was quoted a few days ago (without naming Djokovic):

"Some need to make public everything they do to help others," he said. "Others do it in a more private way without having to publish or advertise everything we're doing. The calls we make to help the most disadvantaged players, some of us don't need to want to advertise on it."
"Complaints are understandable and totally respectable. Where is the privilege line or not privileges? There it is already a little different and I have a different vision than other tennis players.
"Here in Adelaide, conditions have been better than most players in Melbourne. But there are players in Melbourne have larger rooms where they can develop physical activities, others have smaller rooms and can't have contact with their coach and their physical trainer. Where's the line? It's an ethical issue and everyone has their own opinion and they are all respectable."
"At the time of talking about fair play or equal conditions, people don't tend to complain about the position of those who are worse off than them. In the end we all try to get the most out of our possibilities and help each other."

 

[anonymoose_au]

but Djocovid is doing a great job at making a whole country hate his guts.

I just saw on the news that he showed up after 1 set and took over from the Serbian who replaced him.

The crowd certainly seemed happy to see him, so I'm not sure if we do in fact hate his guts.

Can you imagine if Kyrgios did the same? We wouldn't be seeing him on a court anytime soon.

 

[Sylvia]

Serena visits zoo before win; Djokovic on court in Australia

Serena Williams decided a trip to the zoo with her daughter was the first thing she wanted to do between leaving quarantine and playing Naomi Osaka in an exhibition match in Adelaide.

www.local10.com

ETA:

'I am sorry': Novak Djokovic clears the air after confusing 'rumours'

The World No.1 has apologised for Friday's bizarre series of events that sent confusion across the tennis world.

au.sports.yahoo.com

Australian Open to allow up to 30,000 fans to attend per day

Up to 30,000 fans a day will be allowed to attend the Australian Open, Victoria's minister for sport has announced.

www.bbc.com

 

[missing]

I'm watching the Australian Open on the Tennis Channel and they announced Victoria is going into a 5 day lockdown. No announcement yet about the Open.

Just announced. Tournament to continue but starting tomorrow no fans.

 

[Braulio]

I'm watching the Australian Open on the Tennis Channel and they announced Victoria is going into a 5 day lockdown. No announcement yet about the Open.

Just announced. Tournament to continue but starting tomorrow no fans.

Yes Tournament will go on, players will be allowed only to Hotel and into the tennis centre and back to the Hotel

 

[Desperado]

Novak Djokovic's Australian Open in doubt after injury scare against Fritz​

Can't help but see this as "the boy who cried wolf" too many times. I don't believe for a second he won't be on court for that match against Raonic. Expecting, as usual, a lot of "I'm dying out here" gestures and grimaces on court. I have no clue why he continuously does this considering how amazing a player he is.

Hoping Raonic has enough experience not to let that into his head. His play is good right now, but I still don't think he can beat Djokovic, no need to play badly to boot.

In the meantime, I get to watch Andy Murray's ATP Biella Challenger match on Livestream.