Spain backflips on Aussie quarantine criticism

The Royal Spanish Tennis Federation has taken back its criticism of how Australia has gone about quarantining tennis players just days after accusing tennis authorities of mistreating its players.

The Spaniards sent out a release late on Thursday night, accusing organisers of not telling players they would have to quarantine in the case there were any COVID positive passengers on their flight to Melbourne. The Federation also underscored the plight of two of their players who they felt were being treated unfairly due to the onerous quarantine conditions.

"(Players) were not informed about the possibility that they would be severely confined if they traveled on the same plane with a passenger who tested positive, without taking into account the physical proximity of the players affected with that positive," the release read.

"Mario Vilella and Carlos Alcaraz are confined in a room without being able to leave for 14 days when they have both performed multiple PCRs that have been negative.

"It is evident that these two players … will not be able to compete on equal terms with the rest of the players. And it is no longer only a strictly competitive problem of this first Grand Slam. The point is that his season could be seriously damaged by a 14-day lockdown."

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The Spanish Federation urged Tennis Australia to cater to the players, arguing the condition were having a detrimental impact on their mental and physical health.

"The affected tennis players are elite athletes who need to be active in order to perform and not injure themselves. Not to mention the psychological damage that affects the athlete in a sport in which the mental aspect is so demanding," it said.

"For all the above, from the RFET we ask Tennis Australia to try to solve the problem of the most affected tennis players – Mario Vilella and Carlos Alcaraz – Spanish players who are directly under our scope of action."

However, they changed their tune when Spanish star Paula Bardosa – a vocal critic of the lockdown and the measures undertaken – tested positive to the virus.

"First of all, we apologise to Tennis Australia if our statement has at any time been interpreted as a criticism of their working methods, nothing is further from our intention," the new release read.

"The RFET thanks Tennis Australia for the effort to organise, in these times so complicated by the global pandemic, the first Grand Slam of the season, something vital for our tennis players who are going to compete again and generate resources.

"The Australian Government has demonstrated the effectiveness of its measures against COVID-19, as reflected by the evolution of the disease in this country, which is setting an example for the world.

"The RFET wants to reiterate its solidarity with all the players who have tested positive. He also wants to support Spanish athletes who, due to different circumstances, are undergoing strict 14-day confinement."

In news that would surely be unwelcome for the star, Badosa will have to undergo another 14 days of quarantine from the moment she tested positive.