<p>Australian Open organisers are planning for players to have two weeks in a biosecure bubble before next year's Grand Slam rather than be subject to the country's strict hotel quarantine regime, tournament boss Craig Tiley said on Thursday.</p>.<p>Players, coaches and officials had to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine after arriving in Australia for the tournament in February due to Covid-19 restrictions, though most were permitted up to five hours a day to train at closed courts.</p>.<p>"There's a lot of time between now and when we get going, but at this point in time we're planning on having a two-week bubble, where the players will be able to move freely between the hotel and the courts," Tiley said at a Nine Network event.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/had-to-change-my-stance-after-being-told-by-umpire-says-rishabh-pant-1023655.html" target="_blank">Read | Had to change my stance after being told by umpire, says Rishabh Pant</a></strong></p>.<p>"They’re protected, they’re kept safe among themselves and safe from the community as well.</p>.<p>"And after those two weeks, they’ll come out and be able to compete in the Australian Open in front of crowds.</p>.<p>"We’re working with the government and health authorities now on the amount of crowds and what the Australian Open will specifically look like."</p>.<p>The year's first Grand Slam is held at Melbourne Park.</p>.<p>About 70 Australian Open players were unable to leave their hotel rooms for their entire isolation last January after being deemed close contacts of positive cases on flights into Australia.</p>.<p>Some complained bitterly about the conditions, triggering a backlash from Melbourne residents who were subject to one of the world's strictest lockdowns for nearly four months in 2020.</p>.<p>Only one player, Spain's Paula Badosa, tested positive for the coronavirus.</p>.<p>Tiley said last month players would not be prepared to go through the same quarantine conditions again.</p>.<p>Last year's tournament was pushed back to February because organisers were unable to secure government approval in time.</p>.<p>Organisers are targeting the traditional January slot for the next one, although another lockdown in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, and Australia's slow vaccine roll-out have clouded the outlook.</p>.<p>Australia has a vague plan to start opening up the country when 70 per cent of adults are fully vaccinated but less than a third have had two doses.</p>.<p>State leaders have also said they may still close borders and order lockdowns to try to contain outbreaks, undermining the federal government's plan.</p>.<p>Tiley said he hoped Australia would reach its target of vaccinating 80 per cent of adults by November.</p>.<p>"That will certainly help the situation for the event in January," he added.</p>
<p>Australian Open organisers are planning for players to have two weeks in a biosecure bubble before next year's Grand Slam rather than be subject to the country's strict hotel quarantine regime, tournament boss Craig Tiley said on Thursday.</p>.<p>Players, coaches and officials had to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine after arriving in Australia for the tournament in February due to Covid-19 restrictions, though most were permitted up to five hours a day to train at closed courts.</p>.<p>"There's a lot of time between now and when we get going, but at this point in time we're planning on having a two-week bubble, where the players will be able to move freely between the hotel and the courts," Tiley said at a Nine Network event.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/had-to-change-my-stance-after-being-told-by-umpire-says-rishabh-pant-1023655.html" target="_blank">Read | Had to change my stance after being told by umpire, says Rishabh Pant</a></strong></p>.<p>"They’re protected, they’re kept safe among themselves and safe from the community as well.</p>.<p>"And after those two weeks, they’ll come out and be able to compete in the Australian Open in front of crowds.</p>.<p>"We’re working with the government and health authorities now on the amount of crowds and what the Australian Open will specifically look like."</p>.<p>The year's first Grand Slam is held at Melbourne Park.</p>.<p>About 70 Australian Open players were unable to leave their hotel rooms for their entire isolation last January after being deemed close contacts of positive cases on flights into Australia.</p>.<p>Some complained bitterly about the conditions, triggering a backlash from Melbourne residents who were subject to one of the world's strictest lockdowns for nearly four months in 2020.</p>.<p>Only one player, Spain's Paula Badosa, tested positive for the coronavirus.</p>.<p>Tiley said last month players would not be prepared to go through the same quarantine conditions again.</p>.<p>Last year's tournament was pushed back to February because organisers were unable to secure government approval in time.</p>.<p>Organisers are targeting the traditional January slot for the next one, although another lockdown in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, and Australia's slow vaccine roll-out have clouded the outlook.</p>.<p>Australia has a vague plan to start opening up the country when 70 per cent of adults are fully vaccinated but less than a third have had two doses.</p>.<p>State leaders have also said they may still close borders and order lockdowns to try to contain outbreaks, undermining the federal government's plan.</p>.<p>Tiley said he hoped Australia would reach its target of vaccinating 80 per cent of adults by November.</p>.<p>"That will certainly help the situation for the event in January," he added.</p>