Australian Open start date known in two weeks

Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley has moved to scotch rumours that the Australian Open will be delated by declaring he is confident of confirming the start date within two weeks.

Planning for the Open has been thrown into chaos due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the Victorian government has not allowed incoming players to arrive until January 1.

Tiley released a statement today saying TA was “doing everything we can to finalise the summer of tennis as soon as possible”.

“Our intention is to deliver a summer in conditions that allow the players to prepare and perform at their best and the fans to enjoy their efforts – all in an environment that is safe for all concerned,” he said.

“We are working closely with the Victorian Government on a plan that takes into account the needs of the players, fans, our partners and staff, and is of major benefit to the Victorian and Australian economies.

“We are continuing our urgent talks with local health authorities regarding quarantining and bio-security requirements and are confident we will have decisions soon.

“Tennis Australia is acutely aware of the need for certainty, but also conscious of reaching a solution with the State Government that ensures the safety of the entire community.

“We look forward to announcing our ticket on-sale date as soon as all arrangements with the relevant authorities are finalised and we have more information on crowd sizes. We anticipate this on-sale date will be within the next two weeks.

“We can’t wait for the summer and look forward to bringing you more detail as soon as we possibly can.”