Australian (Open) Tennis and COVID-19

[Pushka]

Bets on what will happen with the crowds if the Tennis tonight goes past midnight.

 

[jase05]

Bets on what will happen with the crowds if the Tennis tonight goes past midnight.

I heard mention today that the crowd will be asked to leave before 11:30pm. Good luck with that

 

[Must...Fly!]

I heard mention today that the crowd will be asked to leave before 11:30pm. Good luck with that

Daniel Andrews wouldn't want pictures of fans being bundled out by police being beamed around the world...

 

[Pushka]

Looks like Kyrgios will do the right thing. Imagine at 11.30 pm when it's four sets all and just into the fifth set. Having said that I can't reconcile the packed stadium (Covid style) with the drastic announcement today. Given national interest why wouldn't there be someone who has transited the airport in that crowd during crunch time.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Looks like Kyrgios will do the right thing. Imagine at 11.30 pm when it's four sets all and just into the fifth set. Having said that I can't reconcile the packed stadium (Covid style) with the drastic announcement today. Given national interest why wouldn't there be someone who has transited the airport in that crowd during crunch time.

Maybe proof we are being taken for chumps. Or unable to call out hypocrisy for what it is...

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Bets on what will happen with the crowds if the Tennis tonight goes past midnight.

Looks like Kyrgios will do the right thing. Imagine at 11.30 pm when it's four sets all and just into the fifth set. Having said that I can't reconcile the packed stadium (Covid style) with the drastic announcement today. Given national interest why wouldn't there be someone who has transited the airport in that crowd during crunch time.

You got your two-sets all. I just don’t see the last set going for 2 hours.

The other two matches seem on track. Maybe the women’s on Margaret Court Arena might be a bit close

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Oh oh Djokovic drops a set. Might go past curfew.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Daniel Andrews wouldn't want pictures of fans being bundled out by police being beamed around the world...

Maybe not police but it happened - beamed all over the world

 

[Anna]

So because this is AFF I don't need any proper evidence, I just need an opinion preferably based on a couple of dodgy internet articles I've read

I'm wondering if having had covid has taken the edge off Djokovic. It could be just lack of match practice. But since he had covid -

- wiped out in the French Open final (yes I expected Nadal to win, but not as easily as 6-0 6-2 7-5).
- disaster in the US Open, disqualified at 5-6 in the fourth round after getting frustrated at having his serve broken at the pointy end of a tight first set
- in the AO so far, sets taken off him by, and being forced into tiebreak sets against, players he really should be beating in straight sets, and that's only up to the third round.

None of the above is what we would have got from the pre covid Djokovic, IMO.

 

[jakeseven7]

The funniest part of this thread is all the people shrieking it should not have gone ahead - are now kicking back and loving it.... hmmmm

To be fair there has been some amazing tennis to distract us from the mutant virus!

 

[Pushka]

The funniest part of this thread is all the people shrieking it should not have gone ahead - are now kicking back and loving it.... hmmmm

To be fair there has been some amazing tennis to distract us from the mutant virus!

I'm more interested in the sideshow and not the main game . And the crowds should not have been there last night.

 

[Must...Fly!]

The funniest part of this thread is all the people shrieking it should not have gone ahead - are now kicking back and loving it.... hmmmm

To be fair there has been some amazing tennis to distract us from the mutant virus!

It might be childish but I strongly disagree with the tournament going ahead so I thought it would be hypocritical to watch it. Haven't seen a single minute.

 

[jakeseven7]

I'm more interested in the sideshow and not the main game . And the crowds should not have been there last night.

Lucky the event went ahead for you to enjoy the sideshow then!

Yes a socially distanced crowd should never have been allowed to attend the outdoor event with masks and with so many bottles of sanitiser everywhere it smelt like a hospital.... I mean look at the huge number of cases Victoria is dealing with - it’s just mind boggling....

 

[RooFlyer]

Lucky the event went ahead for you to enjoy the sideshow then!

Yes a socially distanced crowd should never have been allowed to attend the outdoor event with masks and with so many bottles of sanitiser everywhere it smelt like a hospital.... I mean look at the huge number of cases Victoria is dealing with - it’s just mind boggling....

I hope to heck your factitiousness (which is appreciated ) is well placed, because if this current out-break really gets out, it'll be a national, not Victorian event, involving the airport 'n all. Why a 'socially distanced ... etc' tennis crowd is OK at 11pm but absolutely verboten at 1am escapes me. I know you have to set a 'reasonable' time for a lock-down start, but if its important enough to have a Stage 4 lockdown at all, there is no excuse for allowing the assembling of a crowd in a stadium immediately beforehand. Like so many cases in Victoria (and a few elsewhere), its the authorities screaming "THIS IS IMPORTANT! EMERGENCY MEASURES FOR EVERYONE! ... oh, except for you people, because you are special'

 

[Pushka]

Lucky the event went ahead for you to enjoy the sideshow then!
. I mean look at the huge number of cases Victoria is dealing with - it’s just mind boggling....

I can sure live happily without that sideshow. Was thinking last night that tennis in Australia is January thing on holidays and not a back to work thing in February. Especially with all the Covid rubbish and destruction.

The crowd, mostly unmasked (they didn't have to be but so many people of unknown arrivals through Melb airport) the message that crowd sends to others. As to whether or not the lockdown is worth it, we won't know that for a while but given people weren't contacted within 48 hours as close contacts, well, no one really knows how big the genie will be. Like RooFlyer, I hope that we can say that it wasn't necessary but you can't measure preventive actions. But I think they know their tracing and contact is an issue.

I hope to heck your factitiousness (which is appreciated ) is well placed, because if this current out-break really gets out, it'll be a national, not Victorian event, involving the airport 'n all. Why a 'socially distanced ... etc' tennis crowd is OK at 11pm but absolutely verboten at 1am escapes me. I know you have to set a 'reasonable' time for a lock-down start, but if its important enough to have a Stage 4 lockdown at all, there is no excuse for allowing the assembling of a crowd in a stadium immediately beforehand. Like so many cases in Victoria (and a few elsewhere), its the authorities screaming "THIS IS IMPORTANT! EMERGENCY MEASURES FOR EVERYONE! ... oh, except for you people, because you are special'

Make that verboten at one hour later. Rather like Cinderella.

 

[jakeseven7]

That isn't the point though, is it. Its the message that crowd sends to others.

Yes they should have stopped the match at 7:48pm instead, would have sent a better message.

 

[Pushka]

Yes they should have stopped the match at 7:48pm instead, would have sent a better message.

The matches could have gone ahead as they are deemed emergency workers (another issue) but no crowds. That night. Would have been a compelling message as to their thoughts of gravity

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

The funniest part of this thread is all the people shrieking it should not have gone ahead - are now kicking back and loving it.... hmmmm

To be fair there has been some amazing tennis to distract us from the mutant virus!

Not sure who you are referring to. A lot of nay-sayers haven’t commented on the on-court action. Are you saying I’m a shrieker?

 

[jakeseven7]

I hope to heck your factitiousness (which is appreciated ) is well placed, because if this current out-break really gets out, it'll be a national, not Victorian event, involving the airport 'n all. Why a 'socially distanced ... etc' tennis crowd is OK at 11pm but absolutely verboten at 1am escapes me.

I guess because it’s the law.

Alternatively we could allow commercial entities to interpret the law differently to suit our / their own purposes. Now that would be a wonderful democracy.

 

[jakeseven7]

The matches could have gone ahead as they are deemed emergency workers (another issue) but no crowds. That night. Would have been a compelling message as to their thoughts of gravity

Sure and to assist with the compelling message every single restaurant in Melbourne booked out, per normal on Friday night should have also closed early on their own account / own choice to support the message as well. Indoors, no masks - much better message to send. Many more people impacted. BIG message!