Australian Open to Continue Without Fans

On the day when Serena Williams moved one step closer to a historic 24th Grand Slam title, the Australian state of Victoria announced a five-day lockdown that will prevent fans from attending the Australian Open. A limited number of fans were at matches for the season’s first Grand Slam from Sunday through Thursday, but that will change with the new rules. The earliest fans could return would be for the quarterfinal matches.

The state of Victoria had 19 active cases as of Friday morning Australian time (Thursday night ET) when the announcement was made. Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews cited the new UK strain plus a growing cluster in Melbourne’s suburbs as the reason for the lockdown. Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said that the tournament would continue as it has been declared a workplace and not an entertainment venue, but fans will not be allowed. 

The new outbreak started at the Holiday Inn at the Melbourne Airport and is not believed to have impacted any of the tennis players or officials. Victoria residents are only allowed to leave their homes for two hours a day and only to shop for essential goods, to work, to study or to receive medical care. 

The Australian Open is the third Grand Slam to take place since the pandemic began. The 2020 Wimbledon tournament was canceled last summer, while the US Open took place in September behind closed doors. The French Open moved from May to October and allowed 1,000 fans per day onto the grounds. 

Serena Wins Again

On the court, 10-seeded Williams moved into the fourth round with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over 19-year-old Anastasia Potapova. Williams is one Grand Slam title away from tying Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24, and she will face 7-seed Aryna Sabalenka over the weekend. 

She is 7-1 in finals at the Australian Open, with her last win in Melbourne coming in 2017 against older sister Venus. That title was her 23rd and most recent in a Grand Slam, an Open Era record. Last year she fell in the quarterfinals, and she withdrew from the 2018 tournament after giving birth to daughter Alexis. 

A day after defending champion Sofia Kenin was upset, 2019 Australian Open winner Naoi Osaka cruised into the fourth round. The 3-seed beat Ons Jabeur 6-3, 6-2 and could face Williams in the semifinals. Osaka is the favorite to win the title at +260 while Williams is +800, behind top-seed Ashleigh Barty at +650. 

On the men’s side, 6-seed Alexander Zverev and 18-seed Grigor Dmitrov moved into the fourth round in the top of the bracket. Zverev is a potential opponent for top-seed Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinal. Djokovic, an eight-time winner in Melbourne, looking to three-peat, is +115 to grab his 18th overall Grand Slam title. Fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev is +390 with last year’s runner up and three-seed Dominic Thiem at +650. Rafael Nadal is the No. 2 seed and looking for a record 21st Grand Slam title at +850. 

The other 20-time Grand Slam winner, Roger Federer, is not at the Australian Open after undergoing knee surgery. The Swiss superstar will return to the ATP tour in Doha next month. He has six of his 20 titles in Australia, while Nadal has won down under just once, in 2009. 

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