Former No. 1 Andy Murray wants to get to Australia ‘as soon as he can’ to prepare for the first Open of the new year but is still waiting for news of a start date.
Tennis Australia and Victorian government officials are still trying to finalise a date and were locked in talks late on Monday night.
Earlier Premier Dan Andrews told media negotiations had been going on all weekend and were like a tennis match, ‘one set here and then another’.
Andrews said he was determined to find a resolution and hoed to have good news “soon’.
Meanwhile, players have been forbidden to arrive in the country before January 1 and then will have to quarantine for 14 days.
“It’s obviously tricky for the players,” Murray said of the uncertainty.
“Originally, we planned to go on the 12th or the 13th of December to arrive around the 15th.
“Then that changed and the kind of latest I’ve heard is that they’ve planned to push it back a couple of weeks, not right up until Indian Wells/Miami time, which is what I think has been suggested by some people.
“They’re two huge tournaments in March. I think that would be the best-case scenario now if they [put] it back a couple of weeks.
“That would allow the players to get over there at the beginning of January and prepare properly for the event.
“I’ll go as soon as I can.”
