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read moreVictorian Sports Minister Martin Pakula has today revealed that the state's Chief Health Officer has given approval for crowds of up to 30,000 to attend next month's Australian Open - around half the total numbers usually attending the tournament at Melbourne Park.
Crowd numbers of up to 30,000 per day will be permitted for the first eight days of the tournament, with the final six days to be capped at 25,000.
The final six days will see 12,500 allowed for the day session while 12,500 will be welcomed in for the night session.
Announcing the crowd caps, Minister Pakula advised “that means Rod Laver Arena, as we get towards the end of the tournament, will have an incredible atmosphere
"That's a testament to the work Victorians have done to get our (Coronavirus) numbers to zero (and to) the extraordinary work Craig (Tiley) and the team at Tennis Australia have done.”
With a total of 390,000 people to attend Melbourne Park over the course of the event, Minister Pakula noted “it will not be the same as the last few years but it will be the most significant international event with crowds the world has seen for many months."
After spending at least two weeks in hotel quarantine, nearly 1,000 Australian Open players and officials will have been released by the end of the weekend, with a number taking to social media to celebrate the end of the process.
12:54am - FINALLY FREE from 15 days in strict quarantine and of course my first stop is Rod Laver Arena for a midnight practice! pic.twitter.com/RachFvo07m
— Heather Watson (@HeatherWatson92) January 29, 2021
WTA 58th ranked player Heather Watson welcomes the end of quarantine on social media.
Tennis Australia Chief Executive and Tournament Director, Craig Tiley said he hoped the event would send a signal to the rest of the world that Melbourne was "the world's capital of sport", advising that "99.9%" of the Australian Open players were happy to be out of quarantine and appreciative of the efforts taken to protect them and the community from the coronavirus.
He added "I think we all underestimated the amount of work and effort and intensity that went into these two weeks, but we've come out of it with a great success."
With players now having nine days after leaving quarantine before they had to play in the tournament, Tiley added “that period of time, while it may in an athlete's mind not be perfectly ideal, it is enough of a period of time to get as ready as you possibly can be
"But it would be no different to inclement weather stopping training or to someone being a bit sick and having to take a few days out."
In a statement, the Victorian Government said "rigorous" infection control and prevention measures would be enforced.
Main image: Australian Open action at the Rod Laver Arena. Credit: Global-cityzen/CC BY-SA 4.0/Edited for size.
29th January 2021 - Australian Open tennis players start leaving hotel quarantine
21st January 2021 - Tennis Australia commits to Australian Open and paying for players’ hotel quarantine
16th January 2021 - Landor Australia undertakes rebranding of Women’s Tennis Association
12th January 2021 - Australian Open players and officials to face world’s ‘strictest rules for tennis’
12th January 2021 - F1 postpones Melbourne Grand Prix to November
8th January 2021 - 30,000 children to get a taste of Australian Open as part of new school holiday program
7th January 2021 - Melbourne Park to be divided into three zones to ensure fan safety at Australian Open
23rd December 2020 - Melbourne Park’s three main venues to operate with at least 25% capacity for Australian Open
19th December 2020 - Victorian Government confirms Australian Open’s February dates and future at Melbourne Park
17th December 2020 - ATP reveals 2021 schedule with Australian Open to start on 8th February
15th December 2020 - Tennis Australia reveals receipt of $4.5 million in JobKeeper support during Coronavirus pandemic
10th December 2020 - Victorian authorities to allow 30,000 attendance at MCG Boxing Day Test
2nd December 2020 - Australian Open to be moved back to February to allow player quarantine period
4th October 2020 - Australian Open looks for 2021 event to run at half capacity
22nd September 2020 - CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park appoints Laura Reddaway as new Conference and Events Sales Manager
13th August 2020 - Tennis Australia’s Craig Tiley anticipates 2021 Australian Open will go ahead with fans in Melbourne
28th July 2020 - Golf Australia advises that Australian Open will not be held this year
3rd July 2020 - Tennis Australia commits to staging 2021 Australian Open in Melbourne
4th February 2020 - Australian Open 2020 welcomes largest ever tournament crowds
21st April 2016 - Auckland and Melbourne achieve multiple wins at 2016 Ultimate Sports City Awards
17th June 2015 - Victorian Premier vows to fight for every major event ‘worth taking’
24th May 2012 - Melbourne and Olympic city London take the top awards for ultimate sports cities
12th November 2009 - Melbourne Retains ‘Ultimate Sports City’ Status
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