More than 1,000 players and officials went into a two-week quarantine from January 14 when the first of 17 flights chartered by Tennis Australia landed in Melbourne and Adelaide.
Some players complained bitterly after being forced into hard lockdown because passengers on their charter flights to Melbourne tested positive for Covid-19
Tournament was thrown into disarray on Saturday when three people tested positive to Covid-19 on two of the 17 charter flights bringing players and their entourages
Tata Open Maharashtra, South Asia's only ATP tour event, is staged in February every year but now the organisers are in talks with ATP for exploring a possible slot in the second half of the calendar
Singles, doubles and wheelchair competitions will all be played as usual after agreement was reached to stage the event following eight months of talks between Tennis Australia and state authorities
The Australian Open will go ahead from February 8-21 next year. ATP has also confirmed that Australian Open men's qualifying will take place from January 10-13 in Doha.
A delay for a week or two to the first Grand Slam of the year, scheduled to begin on January 18, was now "most likely", said Martin Pakula, the Sports Minister of the Victoria State government
The tournament is scheduled to start on January 18. But questions remain over quarantine arrangements for players and their entourages — an estimated 2,500 people.
In a message to players the ATP, the men's tennis tour, said arrivals originally planned for December were now uncertain, potentially disrupting the packed January schedule
