Tennis playerTennes Sandgren boarded a flight to the Australian Open in Melbourne despite testing positive for Covid-19 on Monday.
The American, a quarterfinalist at last year’s tournament, was ill and tested positive for the virus in November but returned another +ve test earlier this week when he felt “completely healthy.”
Green Signal To Fly
In a series of posts on Twitter, Sandgren initially admitted he may not be able to fly to the first tennis tournament of the year but later wrote: “Wow I’m on the plane. Maybe I just held my breath too long. Craig Tiley [Tennis Australia CEO] is a wizard.”
In a post retweeted by Tiley, the Australian Open said Sandgren had been cleared to fly by the relative health authorities. “In the case of Tenny Sandgren, who revealed that he had been diagnosed with the disease in late November, his health file must be reviewed by the Victoria Health Authority. Upon completion of the review he was able to fly,” the statement read.
Lisa Neville, Australia’s Minister of Police and Emergency Services, confirmed on Twitter that Sandgren’s positive results had been reviewed by health experts and that he was “determined to be viral shedding from a previous infection, so was given the all clear to fly.”
“No one with Covid positive for the first time – or who may be infected – will be allowed to enter the Aus Open,” she wrote. It just so happens that Andy Murray, a three-time grand slam champion, has been diagnosed with Covid-19, just days before he was to fly to Melbourne.
CDC Guidelines
Murray is currently living alone in his home in Surrey, England, and it is uncertain whether he will be given permission to compete at next month’s event.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who test positive but do not have symptoms can stop the quarantine 10 days after a good initial test – as long as they do not show any symptoms. But 10 days is just a general guideline, with an infection that can last a long time.
Following criticism on Twitter, the world No. 50 said: “There’s not a single documented case where I would be contagious at this point. Totally recovered!”
More than 1,000 players and coaches have already started arriving at this year’s event, which is already three weeks late. The tournament is expected to start on February 8-21.
Those playing in this year’s Australian Open must complete a two-weeksegregation on arrival in the country. Organizers of the tournament said the players would also “undergo a more rigorous testing schedule than most returning travelers.”
