American tennis star Tennys Sandgren has sparked a stir on social media after it emerged that he was licensed on an Australian open flight to Melbourne, despite testing positive for the COVID-19 earlier in the week.
Sandgren made a name for himself at the 2020 Australian Open after taking Roger Federer to the string in a quarter-final final with the Swiss maestro.
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However, the 29-year-old revealed on Thursday that his hopes of going on another run at Melbourne Park in 2021 were in jeopardy after he was recently tested for coronavirus for a second time.
In a series of increasingly upsetting tweets from LAX airport, Sandgren initially suggested that his Australian Open hopes had been dashed after his latest positive test on Monday.
“Covid positive about gratitude. Covid positive on morning. But are pcr tests the “gold standard”? Atleast I get to keep my points (laughs emoji) ”.
Covid positive over thanks
Covid positive on morningBut are pcr tests the “gold standard”?
Atleast I get for keeping my points 😂
– Tennys Sandgren (@TennysSandgren) 13 January 2021
Shortly afterwards, Sandgren tweeted again that officers had delayed the flight in order to get ahead, despite the fact that his bags had not yet been inspected.
Surprisingly, he gave another update to say he was on the plane, before thanking Australian Tennis Head 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 checked lol, ”he tweeted.
“Wow I’m on the plane. Maybe I held my breath too long. [Australian Open boss] Craig Tiley is a wizard.
Stay tuned I think they are trying to take me 15 min after the plane takes off .. my bags have not yet been checked lol
– Tennys Sandgren (@TennysSandgren) 14 January 2021
Wow I’m on the plane
Maybe I held my breath too long.
Craig Tiley is a wizard
– Tennys Sandgren (@TennysSandgren) 14 January 2021
The chaotic situation took another strange turn when tennis writer Ben Rothenburg revealed that the plane had been reversed before taking off.
There was no immediate information as to whether Sandgren was the reason the plane was sent back to the gates.
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Fans took to social media to question why he got permission for the charter plane in the first place, considering his positive test.
I heard from several passengers on board now that the #AusOpen Flights departing from LAX had to return to the gate. 😬
– Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) 14 January 2021
Tennys Sandgren said he tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday but is on this plane.https: //t.co/0U2FKTyCPO
You must return a negative Covid test before flying to Australia.
Good for me.
– Kevin Pollard (@football_roos) 14 January 2021
do tennys sandgren really travel to Australia with a covid positive test? is he on a plane traveling with another tennis player who was “apparently” testing negative?
this is a lie 🤡
– val (@valdeff) 14 January 2021
@AustralianOpen – try not to let Tennys Sandgren get on the plane. Not worth the risk. Thank you (on behalf of my Melbourne friends & all the Melburnians who suffered so much). # AO21
– Liz Curran (@lizcurran) 14 January 2021
You should not travel if you are positive on Monday
– DavidBaird (@DavidAdamBaird) 14 January 2021
did you really get on the plane without a negative test ?!
– ً (@stefanostsitsi) 14 January 2021
if you tested positive you should not fly. it’s not that hard
– ً (@stefanostsitsi) 14 January 2021
Rothenburg later revealed that the flight took place shortly after he was sent back to the gate.
The tennis writer said his understanding was that everyone was still on the plane, suggesting Sandgren was allowed to travel.
Tennis Australia released a statement in response to Sandgren’s situation.
“Some people who have contracted COVID-19 and are non-infectious may continue to be infected with the virus for several months,” the statement read.
“Vic government public health experts assess all cases based on additional detailed medical records to ensure they are not infectious before entering the charter flights.
“Players and their teams are being tested every day since arriving in Australia, a much tougher process than anyone else in a hotel quarantine.”
Players entering Australia from abroad must go through 14 days of hotel quarantine and just exit their hotel rooms for five hours each day, according to strict measures Victoria biosecurity.
Organizers of the first grand slam of the year have booked some 15 charter flights for around 1200 players, officials and supporters for the Australian Open, which starts on February 8th.
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