Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka is believed to be among a group of players set to be confined to their hotel rooms for the next 14 days after two positive coronavirus tests emerged from their charter flight.
The Herald Sun has reported an email has been sent to all players and officials who were aboard a flight out of Los Angeles, which stated they would no longer be able to leave their quarantine hotel to train.
The email read: “Unfortunately we have been informed by the health authorities that two people on your flight from LAX that arrived at 5:15am on Friday 15 January have returned positive COVID-19 PCR tests on arrival to Melbourne.
“The Chief Health Officer has reviewed the flight and has determined that everyone on board needs to isolate and will be confined to their rooms for the 14-day quarantine period.
“We know this is not how you imagined your preparations for the AO would start but our entire team is here to support and do everything we can to get you through this.”
Under original guidelines the players were permitted to leave their hotels for up to five hours to train.
As well as Azarenka who won the title in 2012 and ’13, American Sloane Stephens and Japanese star Kei Nishikori were also reportedly on the flight.
All passengers were required to return negative tests before boarding the flight, but two tested positive upon arrival.
American Tennys Sandgren, who was cleared to fly when his positive test was not deemed to be contagious, was also believed to be on board. But he is not said to be linked to the new positives.
Tennis Australia has been contacted for comment.