Audio By Carbonatix
Five-time finalist Andy Murray will miss the Australian Open after a solution to find a "workable quarantine" following his positive test for coronavirus could not be found.
The 33-year-old Briton was set to fly out to Melbourne last week, but was not allowed to travel on a charter flight after being found to have Covid-19.
The former world number one had hoped to travel safely and compete as planned on the back of a negative test.
Murray said he was "gutted" not to go.
He was asymptomatic and is now out of self-isolation, but finding a way for him to travel to Australia and then going into quarantine before the tournament starts on 8 February proved too difficult.
"We've been in constant dialogue with Tennis Australia to try and find a solution which would allow some form of workable quarantine, but we couldn't make it work," said Murray.
"I want to thank everyone there for their efforts. I'm devastated not to be playing out in Australia. It's a country and tournament that I love."
Murray was able to play only seven official matches in 2020 because of a lingering pelvic injury, and the five-month suspension of the tours because of the pandemic.
At 123rd in the world, he was ranked too low to gain direct entry into Australian Open so the three-time Grand Slam champion was given a wildcard.
The Australian Open at Melbourne Park is starting three weeks later than usual because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Players had to test negative before taking one of the 15 chartered flights - which were put on last week by tournament organisers and operated at 25% capacity - to Australia.
On arrival, the players and their support staff went straight into a 14-day quarantine under the conditions imposed by the Australian government.
That agreement allowed them out of their rooms for up to five hours a day for food and practice.
However, 72 players have been confined to their rooms in a tougher quarantine - which led to some complaints and creative ways of staying fit - after they travelled on three flights where positive cases were found on arrival.
Latest Stories
-
Fuel prices set to rise again from Sept 1; petrol could hit GH¢16.21 – COPEC
7 minutes -
REGSEC restricts Akwasidae celebrations in Denkyira amid security concerns
12 minutes -
Eric Adjei distributes free fertiliser to farmers in Jaman North
19 minutes -
Akufo-Addo urges NPP factions to unite behind Bawumia for 2028 victory
30 minutes -
NDC mourns Western Regional Elections Director Papa Assan
37 minutes -
Minerals Commission warns against fake job recruitment schemes
44 minutes -
10 recruits dismissed for defying phone ban – Interior Minister
50 minutes -
IEAG commends GoldBod, BoG for improving forex stability
60 minutes -
Bawumia donates GH¢50,000 to St Jude Catholic Church at Weija
1 hour -
Mahama calls for faster mobilisation of AU Peace Fund resources
1 hour -
Improved roads bring new vehicle options to Tumu-Bolga, Tumu-Tamale, Tumu-Wa routes
1 hour -
Cedi records 7.9% depreciation against US dollar in first half of 2026
1 hour -
GIS launches operation on anti-human trafficking and exploitative street begging
2 hours -
Awutu-Senya District Assembly organises clean-up ahead of Awubia Festival
2 hours -
Vice President Opoku-Agyemang receives Democracy Cup
2 hours