"Interesting to see what Novak Djokovic does" - Aussie coach on the World No. 1's Melbourne stay plans
Australian coach Roger Rasheed recently stated he is curious to see how Novak Djokovic handles his accommodation arrangements at the upcoming Australian Open.
As per latest reports, the year's first Grand Slam is likely to start on 8 February, with players arriving in Melbourne between 15 to 17 January. Everyone will need to remain in quarantine till 1 February in a hotel room, during which they will be able to leave the room only for five hours a day.
There could also be some restrictions on the support staff that accompany the players to the tournament site, and who they can practice with during the quarantine.
But at the US Open in New York earlier this year, World No. 1 Novak Djokovic had chosen not to stay at a similarly arranged player hotel. The USTA had allowed players to rent their own houses if they ensured that they followed all the guidelines, and Djokovic had opted for that.
"It will be interesting to see what he does because at the US Open, Novak Djokovic got a house," Australian coach Roger Rasheed told Sky Sports Radio. "They allowed him to have like a satellite hub, where he got a house, he had to facilitate it and actually put all the COVID conditions around it. That was at Novak Djokovic's cost ... yes, he's got the money."
"A lot of the guys like staying in houses, renting houses and actually having their team there; and [they're] also travelling with big teams. It's going to be a strange vibe," he added.
Rasheed believes that players will need to follow the protocols if they want to play the Australian Open. Health officials in the state of Victoria are going all out to ensure that coronavirus does not re-enter their community, and the Australian Open participants will have to adhere to any rules that are put in place.
"They've already been in quarantine hubs before, so it's nothing new to them," Rasheed said. "For some of them, they'll be thinking, 'Wow, two weeks? That's an extended period.' But they're under our conditions, so they've got to follow protocol if they want to get here and play."
Novak Djokovic wasn't the only player who opted for private housing at the US Open
Novak Djokovic was, in fact, not the only player to opt for private housing at the US Open. 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams was another who had rented a private house in New York, as she had lung issues.
"I am really grateful that I have an opportunity to stay in the house,'' Novak Djokovic had said at the time of the US Open. "As soon as there was a chance for us to choose to be in a house, we took it right away without thinking. I'm glad we did. "
"It's not the privilege of the top guys or girls. Anyone that wanted to spend money and stay in the house, he or she could have done that. … I know there's very few players that have chosen to stay in a house, but it is a personal choice," Novak Djokovic had added.
While the USTA had specified guidelines that players opting for private housing needed to adhere to, recent reports suggest that players will be able to move around freely in Melbourne post quarantine. That could mean Novak Djokovic and all other players would be able to choose whether they stay in a hotel or a private house once the quarantine is complete.