By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday January 18, 2021
Roberto Bautista Agut made some critical, off-the-cuff remarks about the Australian Open quarantine that the locals are not taking kindly to.
When the 32-year-old World No.13 was asked by a reporter if the quarantine was like being in prison, here is what he said.
“These people have no idea about tennis, about practice courts, they have no idea about anything,” he said. “It’s a complete disaster because of that, because the control of everything is not Tennis Australia, it’s the people from the government.”
“I did work in the room but it’s not the same. I was feeling very tight, I cannot imagine staying two weeks like this, it’s really, really tough.”
The public won’t take kindly to Bautista Agut’s words. Here's why: Australia has spent much time in lockdown and they don’t appreciate the tennis community showing little or no gratitude for being granted the opportunity to play a Grand Slam event that offers significant prize money.
The Victorian government is working hard to protect the public and to keep the coronavirus out of Australia. They’ve done a remarkable job of it in the last few months and Tennis Australia is under extreme pressure from the government to keep it that way.
Players like Bautista Agut and others who have spoken negatively about their situation are simply speaking their mind and letting reporters understand how they see things from the perspective of a professional tennis player in a difficult situation, but they’d be better off in this case showing a little more respect for the sacrifices made by Tennis Australia to put the Australian Open show on the road in a worst case scenario, with the pandemic raging around the globe, a new coronavirus variant in the mix, and the public frightened of what the infiltration of 1250 tennis people could mean for Australia’s fight against Coronavirus.
As many have said over the last days and weeks, it’s better to read the room before speaking. Bautista Agut thought he was in a small room with a single reporter, but he should have known better.
In his defense, he’s speaking his mind. It’s virtually impossible to be properly prepared for a Grand Slam when you are stuck in a hotel room for 19-24 hours a day. It’s also true that the government is firmly in charge of the situation—they call the shots not Tennis Australia. Bautista Agut is a world-class athlete in panic mode. A creature of habit, a player that has worked incredibly hard to become an elite tennis player over the years, and he probably feels like a fish out of water at the moment.
As media, or fans, we should also take into the account the fact that the players do have it hard as well. And they are genuinely surprised by how strict things are in Australia. It’s not an easy situation for anybody in Australia right now. We’re of the opinion that the people of Australia deserve respect and understanding, but it doesn’t stop us from believing that the players are due some sympathy as well.