Tennis star Andy Murray to miss Australian Open after positive COVID test
33-year-old Brit confirmed last Thursday that he had tested positive for virus
Former world number one Andy Murray has confirmed he will not be taking part in next month's Australian Open after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.
"Gutted to share that I won't be flying out to Australia to compete at the Australian Open," Murray was quoted as saying by British media on Friday.
"We've been in constant dialogue...to try and find a solution which would allow some form of workable quarantine, but we couldn't make it work."
The 33-year-old Murray, a wildcard, confirmed last Thursday that he had tested positive for the virus and was in self-isolation at his home near London.
That meant he was unable to take one of the charter flights laid on by Australian Open organizers, leaving him facing a race to be able to arrive in time to complete the mandatory 14-day quarantine period as per health protocols.
On that occasion, after a first-round defeat by Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, he received an emotional farewell on the court as it appeared his career was coming to a close because of a long-standing hip injury.
After another surgery, however, Murray returned to the Tour later in 2019. Last year he played only seven Tour-level matches because of injury and the disruption caused by the pandemic.
The three-time Grand Slam champion, currently ranked 123rd in the world, had pulled out of the season-opening Delray Beach Open in Florida earlier this month to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19.
