Seppi says: The quarantine in Australia is so bizarre

After 3 days of quarantine alone in the hotel room, the 36-year-old tennis professional, who is ranked 106th in the world and in the main draw of the Australian Open for the 15th time in a row, was able to train in Melbourne Park for the first time on Tuesday. Fortunately, he is allowed to leave his hotel for 5 hours a day. On the other hand, 72 professionals are completely in quarantine and are not allowed to leave their rooms for 14 days.

“Everything is more or less okay here. We have been there since January 16th, but we were only allowed to train for the first time after 3 days on January 19th (Tuesday). We were just in the room for 3 days. Logically, that's not ideal for someone who has to play a tournament in 10 days." Seppi is registered for one of the two ATP tournaments in Melbourne in the week from January 31st to February 6th, which is a dress rehearsal for the one on January 8th February Australian Open will begin serving. Jannik Sinner is also taking part in the same tournament.

From left Andreas Seppi, fitness coach Massimiliano Pinducciu, coach Massimo Sartori and Marco Cecchinato.

“We are lucky that we are allowed to leave the hotel and train for 5 hours a day. But it's certainly not easy for the 72 players who have to stay in their rooms for two weeks. You have made good preparation, come here and are then not allowed to leave your room for 2 days.” New problems keep arising Seppi on the situation in Melbourne: “New problems keep arising. With transportation, for example. You have the space available for a certain amount of time. The drivers arrive an hour later, so you can only play for an hour instead of the planned 2 hours. When you drive back you will be late again. That makes everything more difficult.”

Nevertheless, Seppi considers herself lucky in a certain way: “But as I said, luckily we at least have these 5 hours a day. After 3 days in the hotel it wasn't that easy. The eyes also had to get used to the outdoors again. You're just in the room, you can't even open the window and let in fresh air. Either you are at the computer or on the phone or you are reading. Even if you do something for 2 hours, you can only lie on the bed for the rest of the time. It is not easy. We hope that no new cases become known, otherwise it will become even more problematic.”

Seppi wants to attack at the Australian Open. © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Steven Ryan

For the first two weeks, each new arrival is accommodated in a single room. “We can't even go to another room, we're always alone. We only see each other at training. And there's just the four of us. You’re not allowed to see or come near anyone else.” Video calls as a distraction The young father is of course happy that his wife Michela and daughter Liv didn't make the long journey down under. “The only option is to talk to the two of them on the phone, occasionally via video, so that you can at least see each other a little bit. But coming here would never have been possible. You are better off at home in Val Gardena. Of course it's a shame to be apart from each other for so long. It's four or five weeks after all. Especially for Liv. She is now learning very quickly from the 11th to the 12th month. It would be interesting to watch her.” “In the year of the pandemic, that’s a bit unfair.” Andreas Seppi on the special treatment of the top 3 The fact that the top three men and women, plus superstar Serena Williams, are allowed to complete their quarantine 3 kilometers from Melbourne in Adelaide - and have better conditions there, is a big topic in the professional circus. Seppi says: “Six players have completely different conditions. Jannik (Sinner) is lucky to be in Adelaide too because he trains with Nadal there. They may only be outside for 650 hours, but they can use the entire time to play tennis. During these 6 hours we have to play tennis, go to the weight room and eat. So we have around 5 hours to get to the pitch, 5 minutes for the weight room and an hour to eat and we need half an hour to drive from the hotel to the facility and then back again.”

Djokovic, Nadal, Osaka, Barty and Co. would have the advantage of having the fitness rooms in the hotel. “They come out of the room and have their own floor where they have everything. You can move from room to room. That's a big difference. In the year of the pandemic, that's still a bit unfair. If everyone in Melbourne had had the same conditions, it would have been better. The Adelaide thing really wasn’t right.” “Last year after the many bushfires here before the Australian Open, many professionals donated money. Now we’re being put in a bad light.” Andreas Seppi Something else is bothering Seppi these days in quarantine. “You hear or read a lot in the media about what the tennis professionals actually want. Everyone who comes to Australia has to be in quarantine for 2 weeks and the players are allowed to go out and complain too. Everything is right. The Australians are right and that's okay, but we came to Australia because we were invited and because we were promised different conditions," said Seppi.

“Australians are complaining that many family members are currently unable to return to Australia. I can understand all that. We were given conditions that now change every day because you never know what will happen. It was agreed that we would be allowed out for training. Of course, one or two professionals complain. But I think it's unfair of Australians to complain now. Last year, after the many bushfires here before the Australian Open, many professionals donated money. Now we are being put in a bad light. I think that’s a bit of a shame.”

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Seppi says: The quarantine in Australia is so bizarre

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