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Will this Grand Slam get Slammed?

After Italy’s Palermo Tournament re-opened the rusty gates for tennis events, other tournaments are rising to the challenge of bringing “normalcy” back. However, as much as organizers will try to fight it, COVID-19 has no plan to stop its spreading frenzy.

Australia is a prime example as of late, with the fate of the Australian Open hanging in the balance. Victoria, the anticipated location of the continent’s big Grand Slam, is currently under siege and facing a second lockdown. With thousands of cases in the area, how can such an historic event take place without fail?

John Barilaro, the 18th Deputy Premier of South Wales, is coming to the rescue. He recently shared that he would offer to have his state as a temporary location to make sure the show goes on. 

He spoke with passion to remind the public of what these events provide: “It’s important for the economy, important for the Australian psyche when it comes to sport. . . these events are far too important in this crisis not to have.” 

Considering South Wales only has 10 percent of Victoria’s amount of active COVID-19 cases, this is certainly the safer move; however, it will be up to the organizers to jump on this opportunity. Currently, there are no reports of plans for the tournament to be held outside of Victoria, but that will need to change quickly if considered; the event is planned for January.

For now, Tennis Australia is sticking to continuing their legacy of the Open and hoping the 48th year will be no different. Will it be worth it to stay at home, or will the pandemic sweep the event out from under Tennis Australia’s rug entirely? Hopefully, for the sake of even having a chance to hold the event, executives will open their minds to those willing to help them.

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