This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, the future of the Australian Open remains uncertain. The 2021 tournament, scheduled to take place in Melbourne from January 18-31, is still over eight months away, but Tennis Australia is already preparing for the worst-case scenario.
According to a spokeswoman, the organization is looking at a range of possibilities, including cancellation, imposing quarantine on overseas players, and allowing only Australian fans into the event. "We've certainly made no secret about the number of scenarios that we're looking at," she said. "We're hoping for the best but planning for everything."
The decision to cancel or postpone the tournament will ultimately depend on government guidelines and restrictions. Australia has banned all travel into the island nation for non-residents, and while talks have begun on opening up borders to neighbouring New Zealand, officials have said it could be many months before other international arrivals will be allowed.
Other major tennis tournaments have already been affected by the pandemic. This year's Wimbledon has been cancelled for the first time since World War II, and the French Open has been postponed until the end of September. The United States Tennis Association will decide in mid-June whether or not the US Open will be able to begin on schedule in New York in August.
