MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA) – In spite of testing positive for coronavirus earlier in the week, Tennys Sandgren was given permission to take a chartered flight from Los Angeles to take part in the Australian Open in Melbourne, said Tennis Australia.
Sandgren Tweeted that he had tested positive for the virus in November and returned another test positive on Monday, adding that he might not be able to board the flight, one of 15 carrying players and coaching staff.
In any case, he was able to board the flight with the aid of Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley. “Wow I’m on the plane,” he said.
“Craig Tiley is a wizard.”
He was the quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park in 2020 and in 2018. The world number 50 later tweeted: “My two tests were less than 8 weeks apart. I was sick in November, totally healthy now.
“There’s not a single documented case where I would be contagious at this point.”
According to COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria, it is common among people who have tested positive earlier to “shed viral fragments for some time – which can trigger another positive result”.
In a statement, Tennis Australia said the decision to allow the player to take part in the event had been made following a review by medical staff.
“In the case of Tennys Sandgren, who has self-disclosed that he previously tested positive in late November, his medical file had to be reviewed by Victorian health authorities,” it said.
“Upon completion of that review he was cleared to fly.”
According to Tennis Australia, any player who has recovered from the infection has to undergo a similar health screening and earn “special clearance” from the authorities before boarding a flight to Australia.
As many as 1,200 players and coaching staff are slated to arrive from Thursday for the tournament scheduled from Feb. 8 to 21.