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Novak Djokovic's demands for improved conditions for the players under strict lockdown restrictions has been firmly rejected by Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews as well as Emma Cassar, the Commissioner for COVID-19 Quarantine in Victoria.
On Sunday, it had been reported that Novak Djokovic had shot off a letter to Craig Tiley, the CEO of Tennis Australia, with a list of demands to help those players who have been forced into total quarantine. 72 players are reported to be in hard lockdown after a few passengers on three of the charter flights coming into Melbourne for the Australian Open returned positive tests.
The demands of Novak Djokvoic ranged from making fitness and training equipment available in the players' rooms, to private houses with tennis courts for practice. But Daniel Andrews has flatly refused to entertain any of those suggestions.
Speaking on Monday to the media, Andrews stated there were four more positive COVID-19 cases in Melbourne associated with the charter flights arranged by Tennis Australia for the event. That takes the total to nine confirmed cases, including one player who has not been named.
"People are free to provide lists of demands but the answer is no," Andrews said. "I know that there’s been a bit of chatter from a number of players about the rules. Well, the rules apply to them as they apply to everybody else, and they were all briefed on that before they came and that was a condition on which they came. There’s no special treatment here."
"So the notion that there’s been any change, the notion that people weren’t briefed - I think that that argument really has no integrity whatsoever, and don’t just take my word for it," Andrews added.
The Premier went on to assert that a few players have accepted the strict rules since they were informed about them beforehand.
"You’ve got other players, who I think on social media and in other forums have made it clear that they were clear on the rules," Andrews said. "And I probably can’t be any plainer than that."
It’s a firm NO from me: COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria Commissioner on Novak Djokovic's demands
COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria Commissioner Emma Cassar also sang a similar tune, turning down Novak Djokovic's demands emphatically.
"It’s a firm NO from me," Cassar said. "The program is set up to keep people safe. We will not be modifying the program or watering it down under any circumstances."
Todd Woodbridge, the former doubles legend who is now a top commentator and the Tournament Operations Assistant at Tennis Australia, also spoke about the Novak Djokovic letter in an interview with 9News Melbourne.
Woodbridge stated that sending the letter was not particularly useful since any decisions would be dictated by health officials and not Craig Tiley.
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