MELBOURNE. – Tennis players planning to compete in the Australian Open at Melbourne Park should get vaccinated for COVID-19 to give themselves the best chance of playing the Grand Slam, an Australian government official has said.
Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, has introduced a vaccine mandate for all professional athletes but authorities have yet to clarify whether athletes from overseas or other Australian states must also vaccinate.
Victoria sports minister Martin Pakula urged players to leave no room for doubt.
“If I was an ATP or WTA player, I’d be getting vaccinated,” Pakula told local radio station SEN.
“That will give them the best opportunity to play in the Australian Open with the more minimal restrictions that might be in place for those people.”
