Scandal professional Sandgren mocks Tennis Australia

While the first tennis players can finally enjoy freedom after the 14-day hotel quarantine, some have to endure even longer. A test for tense nerves – which not all professionals pass.

On Thursday evening local time, the first players were allowed to leave their accommodations in Melbourne, where they had to spend the last 14 days in self-isolation. The conditions were very different for the tennis cracks. The top stars stayed in Adelaide and, thanks to their privileged special status, are likely to have survived the “quarantine light” (five hours a day outside the hotel complex) unscathed.

There was also a two-class society in Melbourne. Because there had been positive corona cases on some charter flights to Australia, 72 professionals – including Belinda Bencic and Henri Laaksonen – and supervisors had to be in strict isolation and were not allowed to leave their hotel rooms while their colleagues were (at least) allowed to train hard.

Sandgren distinguishes himself as an angry citizen

There is also no uniform line when walking into freedom. Since the flights did not all arrive in Melbourne at the same time, the individual players ended their quarantine obligation at different times. In addition, the local authorities and the tournament management ensure that everything goes according to the specifications. Each person’s data must be checked individually before they can be “released”, which of course entails a lot of administrative effort. Many players are threatened with an additional day of quarantine.

Tennys Sandgren is one of the “unlucky people” who have to put up with an additional loop. The American, who was allowed to enter Australia despite a positive corona test (and thus caused a lot of displeasure), let via Instagram-Story his frustration: “I’ve just found out that we can’t leave the room until midnight tomorrow,” says Sandgren, while pedaling an exercise bike.

“That means we’re going to be in this room for 15 days. It’s also another day we can’t train. We play Saturday, Sunday, Monday and have a match on Tuesday. A tennis match in a competition. Including travel 16 days off, three days of hitting the balls, tennis match ”, annoys the 29-year-old, who is a red rag for many fans (and professional colleagues) on the tennis tour because of his controversial views. Sandgren’s ironic conclusion, which he yells wide-eyed into the camera: “I’m Tennis Australia, and I’m so cool.”