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World No. 67 Paula Badosa has tested positive for COVID-19. Badosa got to know of the positive test while quarantining in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open.
The Spaniard confirmed the news through a post on social media, stating she was suffering from some symptoms and that she had been taken to a health hotel in Melbourne. Badosa added she would listen to the medical advice she receives so that she can return to full strength soon.
"I'm feeling unwell and have some symptoms, but I'll try to recover as soon as possible listening to the doctors," Badosa said. "I've been taken to a health hotel to self-isolate and be monitored."
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Badosa had travelled from Abu Dhabi to Melbourne through a chartered flight arranged by Tennis Australia. She is the first Australian Open player to record an actively infectious positive COVID-19 test while in quarantine.
The 23-year-old Badosa is a former French Open junior girls' singles champion. Her best performance at the Majors on the senior tour came at the French Open last year, where she defeated two former Slam champions (Sloane Stephens and Jeļena Ostapenko) to reach the fourth round.
Badosa is one of the 72 players who had been placed under strict lockdown after arriving in Melbourne. Over the past few days, she had been talking about her experience inside the Melbourne lockdown on social media with fellow player Marta Kostyuk.
Paula Badosa is the first player, but second passenger from Abu Dhabi to test positive at the Australian Open
There have actually been a handful of positive tests among the passengers on the flights arranged by Tennis Australia. However, Badosa's is the first active case for a player.
The other positives were related to either support staff of the players or flight crew. Some positives also turned out to be cases of viral shedding which were not infectious, such as the case of American player Tennys Sandgren.
Sylvain Bruneau, the coach of former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, is among those to have tested positive for COVID-19 in Melbourne.
Bruneau also travelled on a flight from Abu Dhabi to Melbourne for the Australian Open. It is likely that Badosa may have been on the same flight, but that is yet to be confirmed.
There have been no reports of more players going into a hard lockdown as a result of this new positive case.
The Australian Open is scheduled to begin in Melbourne on 8 February.
