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Australian Open Likely to Require Players to Be Vaccinated: Age

Australian Open Likely to Require Players to Be Vaccinated: Age

The Australian Open is likely to require players taking part in the tournament in January to be vaccinated, The Age reported on Sunday, citing unidentified people in sports and government. 

Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley is resigned to a requirement for players to be inoculated and is cooperating with the state government, the newspaper said, citing the people. 

Tiley had initially resisted the requirement on concern it would deter vaccine-hesitant champion Novak Djokovic and other top players, according to the newspaper.

Tiley said “we won’t get star players,” and the state government effectively said “suck it up,” the newspaper cited a person as saying. The tennis association “capitulated,” the person said, according to the report.

Neither the ATP men’s tour nor women’s WTA have expressed support for mandatory vaccines, but both strongly encourage players to be inoculated, the paper said.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.