Tennis Australia commits to Australian Open and paying for players’ hotel quarantine

With massive mainstream media interest in the concerns of Australian Open players about their hotel-based quarantine, Tennis Australia has confirmed it is meeting the cost of the program.

Seldom out of the news this week, after more than 70 players were forced to quarantine over COVID-19 fears, the issue of meeting the program costs had been the subject of a public dispute between Tennis Australia and the Victorian Government.

However, as of yesterday Tennis Australia Chief Executive, Craig Tiley confirmed that the body would be fully funding the hotel quarantine program

With Tiley having told Melbourne radio station 3AW yesterday morning that the Victorian Goovernment would "absolutely" be contributing to the $40 million, a statement later clarified thyat Tennis Australia was funding the program.

Tiley's statement advised "Tennis Australia is funding the AO quarantine program", adding that "the Victorian Government support relates to ongoing discussions about funding for an extension to the agreement to host the AO in Melbourne and a range of other assets to help promote the city and the state, domestically and internationally."

Not long after Tiley made the claim on 3AW, Victorian Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville firmly stated the Victorian Government was not paying for Australian Open hotel quarantine.

She advised "I want to be really clear about this ... hotel quarantine is fully funded by Tennis Australia.

"We do support the Australian Open as an event, but that is separate to the Australian Open quarantine program."

Despite the quarantine issues and positive COVID-19 tests, Tiley has insisted that the grand slam tournament will go ahead as planned from 8th to 21st February.

Image: Australian Open action at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena.