Australian Open Still On Track For Full Event For 2021

The Australian Open is on track to proceed early next year and will include a full schedule of events, per Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley.

“In terms of our plans for the Australian Open, as we’ve been saying for the past few weeks, we’re optimistic about having an AO in January with all the events and all the players,” Tiley said.

Tiley expressed the national body’s support for wheelchair tennis men’s number one, Dylan Alcott, who this week hit out at the US Open for excluding his category.

While the US Open will go ahead in August despite COVID-19, it will be with the exclusion of the wheelchair event, something 10-time grand slam title winner and Paralympian, Alcott described as “disgusting discrimination.”

“Dylan Alcott is a tremendous ambassador for tennis and has done a huge amount for our sport both here and around the world,” Tiley said.

“We understand how disappointed he is at not being able to compete at the US Open this year and we look forward to seeing him back on the court soon.”

Due to biosecurity restrictions, the U.S. Open also will not include qualifying, junior and mixed doubles events when it takes place in New York.

While backing Alcott, Tiley also empathized with the United States Tennis Association.

“We empathize with our US Open counterparts who have put an enormous amount of work into staging their event during such difficult circumstances and in these unprecedented times,” he said.