Andy Murray’s chances of taking part in the Australian Open are in doubt after the tennis star was diagnosed with coronavirus.
The Scot was about to fly to Australia on one of the 18 charter flights organized by the competition organizers but is still alone at home.
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Murray is lonely in Scotland after testing for COVID-19
Murray, who is said to be in good health, is hoping to reach Australia later and take part in the first grand slam of the year, which starts on February 8 in Melbourne.
Murray and his team are working closely with competition director Craig Tiley to try to find a suitable solution.
The tournament organizers spent several months negotiating an acceptable arrangement with local and national government bodies for the admission of more than 1,000 tennis players and related staff to Australia.
Players are expected to start arriving in the country within the next 24 hours.
They then complete a two-week quarantine, when they get out of their rooms for five hours each day.
They were told that a positive test before flying would mean they could not travel to Australia.
Wimbledon champion Murray’s prospect at Melbourne Park comes two years after he played there in what he feared would be his last game as a professional.
The 33-year-old is considered too low to enter the competition so he was given a wild card.
He was only able to play seven official games in 2020 due to lingering pelvic injuries, and the five-month suspension of rounds due to the pandemic.