Bianca Andreescu's coach Sylvain Bruneau tests positive for virus

The messy start to the 2021 Australian Open continued with yet another person getting a positive result for Covid-19 in Sylvain Bruneau, Bianca Andreescu’s coach.

Bruneau’s update regarding his test results was posted on social media channels, including on Twitter.

In his update, Bruneau posted, “I am deeply sorry to share that I have just tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival here in Melbourne, after traveling from Abu Dhabi on flight EY8004. I have followed all of the safety protocols and procedures, including testing negative within 72 hours before the flight departure and felt perfectly fine when I boarded the plane. I also respected and followed all Covid protocols and guidelines while in the Middle East. I have no idea how I might have contracted the virus. I am extremely saddened and sorry for the consequences now on everyone’s shoulders sharing my flight. The rest of my team is negative and I sincerely hope that any further disruption is kept to a minimum.”

Australian Open: Strict confinement for Bianca Andreescu, others

Earlier, 47 players were forced to enter into a 14-day quarantine after three people across two separate flights to Melbourne tested positive for the virus when tested upon arrival. One was the flight coming in Abu Dhabi in which Bruneau and his charge Andreescu were passengers along with other players. The other was a flight coming in from Los Angeles.

In total, of the 64 people in the flight from Abu Dhabi, 23 were tennis players while, of the 79 people in the LA flight, 24 were tennis pros.

The decision to keep the players confined to their rooms for the next 14 days understandable didn’t go all too well with them. There were also reports that some players tried to evade the quarantine rules and tried to flee the hotel to which they have been confined.

Some of the players who are caught in this predicament include Andreescu, Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens, Vasek Pospisil, Angelique Kerber, Kei Nishikori and Heather Watson.

In a statement, Tennis Australia chief and the tournament director of the Australian Open, Craig Tiley said, “We are communicating with everyone on this flight, and particularly the playing group whose conditions have now changed, to ensure their needs are being catered to as much as possible, and that they are fully appraised of the situation. Our thoughts are with the two people who tested positive on the flight and we wish them well for their recovery.”

Meanwhile, regardless of the unexpected turn of events, Bianca Andreescu will be hoping to have a decent run at the first Major of the year. The Canadian, who missed out the 2020 edition of the event with injury, will be seeded eighth in the event in 2021. Her best result at Melbourne Park has been reaching the second round in 2019.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2LBAR0k