MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Tennys Sandgren has been allowed to board a scheduled flight from Los Angeles to the Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday despite recently undergoing a positive test for COVID- 19, an American tennis player said on social media.
Sandgren, who was a quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park last year and in 2018, said on Twitter, after a positive test in November, that he had returned another positive test on Monday and may not have been able to to board his flight.
“Covid positive about Covid ‘s gratitude positive this morning,” he tweeted, adding later that he could be able to fly Thursday instead.
However, he then said he was able to board the plane Wednesday, which is carrying other players and coaching staff to the first Grand Slam of the year, with the help of Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley.
“Wait a minute I think they’re trying to take me 15 min after the plane leaves. My bags have not yet been inspected lol, ”he wrote.
“Wow I’m on the plane.
“Craig Tiley is a magician.”
Australian media reported that a Los Angeles flight had returned to the gate after taking off. It was not clear if Sandgren was on the plane when it took off.
He reiterated that he was “completely healthy”.
“My two tests were less than 8 weeks apart. I was ill in November, completely healthy now, ”he said.
“There is no single recorded case of infection at this stage.”
The organizers of the Australian Open Tennis Australia said in a statement “that some people who have contracted COVID-19 and are non-infectious can continue to contract the virus for several months.
“Vic (state of Victoria) government public health experts assess all cases based on additional detailed medical records to ensure they are not contagious before entering the chartered charters.
“Players and their teams are being tested every day since arriving in Australia, a much tougher process than anyone else in a hotel quarantine.”
Some 1,200 players and coaches are expected to start arriving from Thursday for the February 8-21 tournament, which has been delayed for three weeks.
The state of Victoria, which was the country’s flagship COVID-19, has said it will impose the strongest protocols seen at any tennis tournament for those reaching 15 scheduled flights.
Players and staff must separate for two weeks before they can take part in warm-up events at Melbourne Park.
Reporting by Ian Ransom; Edited by Peter Rutherford