Dominic Thiem's manager claims there will be both 'advantages & disadvantages' during Adelaide quarantine for top 3

Herwig Straka, the manager of Dominic Thiem, believes that the quarantine for the top 3 men and women in Adelaide rather than Melbourne will come with its own set of pros and cons.

On Friday, Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley confirmed that the top six players in the world - Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Ash Barty, Simona Halep and Naomi Osaka - will undergo their mandatory quarantine in Adelaide instead of Melbourne.

Tiley clarified that the need for shifting the quarantine location arose because Melbourne is likely to reach the limit of people it can host. The CEO of Tennis Australia also affirmed that the players will be accompanied by their practice partners and support staff in Adelaide.

Nadal, Djokovic, Thiem, Barty, Halep and Osaka among 50 players that would be quarantined in Adelaide (travel directly to Adelaide, rest to Melbourne). On 29-30 January an exho event incl. top players before they heading to Melbourne to play ATP/WTA tournaments at Melbourne Park. https://t.co/dVR7EJmtVI

— Michal Samulski (@MichalSamulski) January 8, 2021

Speaking on the change of plans, Herwig Straka claimed that while the players in Adelaide may have easier access to the courts, they would also need to adjust to the conditions in Melbourne once they arrive there in the first week of February.

"It doesn't matter, you have advantages and disadvantages," Straka said. "You have fewer problems with the courts, you have a little more freedom because there are fewer people there. On the other hand, you only have to adjust to the conditions in Melbourne. But for training it is probably better in Adelaide because there is less going on."

Dennis Novak will accompany Dominic Thiem in Adelaide

Dominic Thiem with Dennis Novak and the rest of the Austrian team at the 2020 ATP Cup

The quarantine period in Adelaide will be followed by a two-day exhibition event, right before the players travel to Melbourne. But Herwig Straka claimed he is not sure of the format of the event, hinting that the details still need to be ironed out.

"I don't know whether it will be singles or doubles," Straka said. "It will probably be a 'come together' of an hour or an hour and a half."

Straka also confirmed that Dennis Novak, who is Thiem's designated practice partner during the first week of quarantine, will travel with the US Open champion to Adelaide.

Dominic Thiem and Dennis Novak will also be part of the Austrian squad for the ATP Cup in the first week of February, which will be captained by Thiem's father Wolfgang. That event will be followed by the Australian Open, which is set to begin on 8 February.

Thiem has been training in Austria during the off-season, and is expected to fly out to Australia in the middle of January.