The Djokovic case and the fear of the coronavirus in Melbourne

The Australian Open It is a kind of oasis in the middle of the desert that sometimes resembles the streets of Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, which is currently experiencing an unofficial confinement self-imposed by its own inhabitants, due to the fear caused by the increase in COVID-19 infections.. People avoid going to bars, restaurants, cafes and small shops, and the owners of these businesses are suffering the consequences as they try to manage the isolation of their staff. Three quarters of the leisure and cultural events scheduled for the months of January and February have been cancelled, according to The Herald Sun, which will produce significant losses in the entertainment industry.

The ocean Grand Slam is one of the few distractions that citizens are allowing themselves, although the capacity has been reduced to 50% and the use of masks is mandatory at all times. Let them tell Garbiñe Muguruza’s team, who were forced to put on that protection during the match that the Spanish played against the French Burel. ‘Be an ace, cover your face’ is the mantra you see written everywhere on billboards scattered around Melbourne Park. Service Victoria monitors the movements of the inhabitants and of all those who are in the state with a QR code that, when scanned, checks the location to be able to carry out a detailed tracking in case of contagion in any public place. Also in the tournament, where every day, employees, players and their teams, the press and all the people involved in its celebration must present a photograph of an antigen test that has been done with a negative result. The venue has been modernized with large spaces that avoid crowds and a model press center, with high ceilings, ventilation, stairs and wide corridors, terraces… all prepared to prevent the spread of the disease during the days that the competition lasts.

These precautions and the fear of the Australians somehow justify the decision made by the Government to deport Novak Djokovic, the number one in the world who is not vaccinated and whose example was considered a danger by the authorities of an area of ​​the nation that spent almost 300 days in lockdown during the pandemic. The National Tennis Federation clarified that it respects the dictates of justice and apologized on Tuesday for the conflict generated around the Serb: “We recognize that recent events have been a major distraction for everyone, and we deeply regret the impact this had on the players. players. There are always lessons to be learned, and we will review all aspects of our preparation and implementation to inform our planning, as we do every year.”

“Australia has always done things very well with this COVID thing. Last year they were very strict and this year they are more lax, but you see in society that there is a certain fear, that it is not so happy, there are not so many people for the street, although we on the court have felt their affection”, says Pablo Andújar, who applauds one of the measures taken by the Open to protect the players. “Normally they pay us a room. This year, so that there would be no close contacts in case of contagion, they pay us two each. That way if someone tests positive, it does not affect the other members of the team.” Roberto Bautista explains that “you have to put on a mask, not get together with too many people or go out to dinner with precautions. But it is inevitable to run into people in the changing rooms.” Garbiñe Muguruza says that she tries to “go out”, but to “parks”, to “less social” things, and to avoid “places and restaurants with many people”. For the rest, he opts for an alternative: “I try to entertain myself in my room.” This is life in an Australian Open that is freer than the one in 2021, but curiously more affected by the resurgence of a pandemic that the country believed had been overcome.