Former Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber has tested positive for COVID-19 and her arrival in Melbourne has been delayed as a result.
I'm disappointed that I will miss the WTA event in Sydney but after I tested positive for COVID-19 last month, I had to adjust my plan due to the quarantine time. Angelique Kerber
It means the 2016 winner will have no time get any match practice in before the start of the AO on 17 January as she has pulled out of next week’s tournament in Sydney and plans to travel to Melbourne on Friday.
“I’m disappointed that I will miss the WTA event in Sydney but after I tested positive for COVID-19 last month, I had to adjust my plan due to the quarantine time,” the 33-year-old said on social media.
Kerber also had a difficult trip to last year’s AO as she had to spend two weeks in quarantine before the tournament, having been a close contact to an infected person on her flight to Melbourne, and was then knocked out in the first round.
“I’ve done my medical check and I hope that I’ll be ready for the Australian Open,” said Kerber, the World No 16 and 3-time Grand Slam champio, who will travel without a coach since her split from Torben Beltz at the end of last season.
Beltz is Australia working with Emma Raducanu as her new coach.
Emma Raducanu (L) smiles with Angelique Kerber's former coach coach Torben Beltz (R) during a tennis training session in Melbourne
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