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A general view inside Rod Laver Arena at sunset during the Men’s Singles Final match betwen Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Rafael Nadal of Spain during day 14 of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
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A general view inside Rod Laver Arena at sunset during the Men’s Singles Final match betwen Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Rafael Nadal of Spain during day 14 of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Australian Open is regarded as one of the most prestigious tennis events across the world. The first of the four Grand Slam events, the tournament is usually held in the early or mid-January. Tennis Australia has also gotten a reputation for being extremely cautious when it comes to health and safety protocols around the ongoing pandemic.
Just like in 2021, the organization has booked special charter flights for players this year as well. Players who do not wish to travel in normal commercial airlines can opt for these flights.
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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 19: A ballboy on court during a match between Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands and Ana Ivanovic of Serbia during day four of the 2012 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 19, 2012 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Lucas Dawson/Getty Images)
Special chartered flights arranged for Australian Open 2022
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Considering the conditions caused by the ongoing pandemic, Tennis Australia has decided to continue offering players a means to opt out of taking commercial flights to travel for the Happy Slam.
Seventeen such flights have been booked by Tennis Australia for the players. Depending on the type of tickets, the prices range from 820 Euros to approximately 3800 Euros.
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A general view of Rod Laver Arena during day six of the 2016 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Everyone who arrives in Australia will be tested and directed to their accommodation to be isolated until a negative result is received. Six specific airports have been selected from where these arrangements will be made, which are Abu Dhabi, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Singapore, Dubai, and Santiago.
Tournament director optimistic about Rafael Nadal’s participation, still unsure about Novak Djokovic
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Craig Tiley, the director of the Australian Open, is confident that Rafael Nadal will compete, despite the fact that Nadal recently tested positive for Covid-19. Nadal is currently in Mallorca and taking the necessary measures to recover.
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ROME, ITALY – MAY 12: Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts to a missed point on day 5 of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia match between Rafael Nadal of Spain and Jannik Sinner of Italy at Foro Italico on May 12, 2021 in Rome, Italy. Sporting stadiums around Italy remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
However, the nine-time Australian Open winner, Novak Djokovic’s involvement at the Happy Slam is yet to be confirmed. It still remains to be seen whether fans will witness the Serb aim for his 21st Grand Slam in Melbourne.
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Do you think both Nadal and Djokovic will compete Down Under? Let us know in the comments below.
