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2021 Australian Open: How quarantine will level the playing field

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Rosy Mina

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/tvpatrol/02/03/australian-open.jpg"/><figcaption>General view of fans after the ATP Cup final between Russia and Italy in Melbourne February 7, 2021. Crowd capacity for this years event has been capped at 25% following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Loren Elliott, Reuters</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA—Stringent quarantine measures to ensure the safety of Australian Open (AO) players may have cost them a lot of training time, but the quarantine situation could also open up more winning chances in the first grand slam of 2021 from February 8 to 21.According to 2008 semifinalist Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia, it was really tough for players who had to be isolated for 14 days with only five hours a day for training. It was much worse for those who had to be on hard quarantine as they had to remain in their hotel rooms for 14 days.“Everyone is liking the ideal preparation, especially the champions who always seek that everything is almost to perfection. As far as how much you train, what you eat, how much rest you get, and all of that is out the window,” Hantuchova told ABS-CBN News in a Zoom interview arranged by FOX Sports Asia.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/07/21/tennis-ex-pros-hantuchova-baghdatis-weigh-in-on-australian-open-favorites ">Tennis: Ex-pros Hantuchova, Baghdatis weigh in on Australian Open favorites</a></li></ul>The former World No. 5 in singles and doubles with a career Grand Slam in mixed doubles declared, “I think this is going to even up the field big time.”Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus, the 2006 finalist, agreed with the Slovak as everyone is coming to the same point because of the quarantine due the COVID-19 pandemic. “Everybody’s on the same boat. Everybody’s gonna feel not so well in the first rounds of the slam,” said the former World No. 8, adding that there will be “very even levelled matches especially in the beginning of the tournament.”Hantuchova and Baghdatis, both pundits for FOX Sports Asia, believe that everything boils down now to how quickly players can adapt to the situation at hand. “Some players will get easier into the tennis skills, feeling the ball. I can say I think it depends a lot on the player,” said the Cypriot. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/04/21/tennis-australian-open-boss-confident-event-will-go-ahead-despite-covid-case ">Tennis: Australian Open boss &#x27;confident&#x27; event will go ahead despite Covid case</a></li></ul>Still a ‘Happy Slam’ amid the global health crisisThe Australian Open had to be pushed back by three weeks because of the strict COVID-19 protocols enforced in Melbourne, Victoria. The opening slam of the year had to deal with the positive results of a few players, plane passengers, and staff. At least 10 people associated with the AO tested positive for COVID-19, including four players. Over 1,000 players, coaches, staff, and officials went into quarantine upon arrival in Melbourne. Due to a positive case involving a quarantine hotel worker, more than 500 players and staff were retested, all with negative results.With the issues and concerns concerning the tournament’s quarantine measures, can the Australian Open still live up to its nickname of being the “Happy Slam” amid the pandemic?Hantuchova and Baghdatis answer with a resounding yes. The former pros are confident that the AO will continue to provide good memories for players and spectators alike.“I think it continues to be a Happy Slam because Craig Tiley’s the tournament director,” Hantuchova commented. “I don’t know where he finds the time in the day because I think he’s got to be one of the busiest people on the planet at the moment as we speak.”Tiley is known for being accommodating and friendly to everyone at the AO. “I think the experience of just coming to the site and having him greeting us, all the players, no matter the ranking, by himself is something so special. And as long as he’s in charge and overlooking this tournament, it’s always gonna be a Happy Slam.” she said.Baghdatis also mentioned how Tiley and the rest of Tennis Australia have been hospitable and considerate through the years. “I think he put an incredible team around him to make everything for the players, for the guests of the players. And I think that’s why it’s the Happy Slam because of that team, of Craig Tiley. And I don’t think it will change,” he remarked.Another huge contributor to the Australian Open’s Happy Slam moniker is the infectious vivacity of its crowd. However, only about 50 percent of the usual AO crowd will be allowed into Melbourne Park, with around 25,000 to 30,000 spectators per day. Monday’s lineup on the Rod Laver Arena already promises to be a surefire hit, featuring Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) vs. Naomi Osaka (Japan), Laura Siegemund (Germany) vs. Serena Williams (USA), Dominic Thiem (Austria) vs. Mikhail Kukushkin (Kazakhstan), Lizette Cabrera (Australia), who is of Filipino descent, vs. Simona Halep (Romania), and Jeremy Chardy (France) vs. World No. 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic (Serbia).<hr/>Catch the live coverage of the Australian Open 2021 as it premieres from February 8 to 21 across FOX Sports networks.Channel Information FOX Sports SKYCABLE: CH 31 (SD) | CH 253 (HD) CIGNAL: CH 263<div>FOX Sports 2 SKYCABLE: CH 32 (SD) | CH 254 (HD) CIGNAL: CH 265</div><div>FOX Sports 3 SKYCABLE: CH 140 (SD) | CH</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b_k8ivLSuis?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Former pros Daniela Hantuchova and Marcos Baghdatis believe that everything boils down now to how quickly players can adapt to the situation at hand.

Former pros Daniela Hantuchova and Marcos Baghdatis believe that everything boils down now to how quickly players can adapt to the situation at hand.