That is where the similarities between vaccinated and unvaccinated players finished.
If a vaccinated player was deemed a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case,they could play in the days following provided they returned a negative test.
If an unvaccinated player was deemed a close contact,however,they were forced to withdraw from the tournament.
It’s a model which TA hope will encourage even more players to receive the vaccination in the coming months.
“The easing of restrictions over the past two weeks has been a great boost to our planning for the Australian Open,” a TA spokesperson said.
“We are also working with the government and both the women’s and men’s tours on the lead in to the Australian Open,and look forward to announcing more detail soon.”
Meanwhile,Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton believes the risk of unvaccinated international arrivals can be managed through the quarantine system,a point that,if accepted,may allow tennis players to take part in the tournament.
But Professor Sutton and Premier Daniel Andrews again declared on Tuesday that only the federal government decided who could be let into the country.
“I mean,it’s not my decision to make about entry into Australia but I think if someone is unvaccinated,they can be managed through that formal quarantine system as we’ve done for all international arrivals to date.
“So if they’re unvaccinated and they’re allowed into the country,then we can manage the risk through that formal quarantine process in hotel quarantine or in a dedicated setting.”
Professor Sutton said because of the significant community transmission of COVID-19 we were in a “different world” to the one that forced droves of players into 14 days of quarantine before taking part in the Australian Open earlier this year.
Loading
“It’s not ultimately my call as to whether they’re allowed into the country but if they are,we will manage that risk and I think it’ll be managed just as robustly if an unvaccinated person is there to go through that full quarantine period.
“At the end of that 14 days,if they haven’t developed illness,then they’re not going to be a risk,in the same way that a fully vaccinated person is a much lesser risk.”
The Premier,however,said he agreed with the Federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawke’s statement last week that only double-vaccinated people would be permitted entry into Australia.
“That is a matter for the Commonwealth,” he said. “No one’s trying to pretend it’s like state governments issue visas or passports.”
Sports news,results and expert commentary.Sign up for our Sport newsletter.