Australian Open: Grand slam will 'continue as normal' after positive COVID-19 case

Melbourne, February 14: Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said the grand slam will "continue as normal" after Greek tennis player Michail Pervolarakis tested positive for coronavirus following his departure from Australia.

The delayed Australian Open, already being played amid strict COVID-19 measures in Melbourne, has been forced to go behind closed doors without fans due to a five-day state-wide lockdown in Victoria.

As Victoria stays locked down until Wednesday (February 17), Pervolarakis revealed via social media that he tested positive for COVID-19 upon his arrival in South Africa.

Pervolarakis did not feature in the Australian Open but did team up with fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas for Greece in the ATP Cup at Melbourne Park prior to the year's opening slam.

Ready for 🎇?

An #AO2021 quarterfinal berth is on the line in today's first-ever clash between @SabalenkaA & @serenawilliams.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/25gtRCkj4U

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 13, 2021

Tiley addressed the situation on Sunday and told Channel Nine's The Today Show: "After spending a day in South Africa [he] tested positive.

"While there's a link in the fact he left here, it is going to be up to the advice of the health authorities.

"The good news for us is he tested negative and then left … there's a fair bit of travel time [in between].

"It was a week ago we got everyone tested again, everyone tested negative."

Tiley added: "No again we will continue on [as] normal.

"Obviously anyone on sight that has any symptoms related to COVID is required to immediately isolate and test, we haven't had any of that."