The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Australian Open: "Like a never-ending day" ... confined players soon released

2021-01-29T07:37:44.005Z


After two weeks of strict quarantine, 72 players will be able to leave their rooms by Sunday. With obstacles phys


Freedom is within reach… The doors of the Golden Penitentiary reopen slowly for players placed in solitary confinement as a “contact case” since their arrival on Australian soil.

By Sunday January 31, the 72 participants subject to maximum surveillance will finally be able to see the light of day and breathe a different air from the air conditioning in their room.

The fortnight is over… which actually lasted a fortnight.

But in what state?

“At first, it was fine,” says Alexandre Muller, 23, one of the three French people concerned (with Benoit Paire and Quentin Halys), who thought to go out on Saturday but will have to wait until Sunday morning.

From the 6th or 7th day, it started to get tough.

The same meals, the same physical sessions.

Mentally, it was complicated.

"

Sailing Through Last Days Of Quarantine ⛵️😅🎾 pic.twitter.com/1ABx2Xuoj3

- Ons Jabeur (@Ons_Jabeur) January 27, 2021

Especially when the long days start from 6.30 am… “This is the time at which they knocked for breakfast, blows the Habs.

For those who want to sleep, it's good ch ... Suddenly, once up and with the jet lag, I did physical around nine o'clock, then lunch, again physical in the afternoon

(Editor's note: his trainer sent him the content of the sessions from France)

, stretching, a little Netflix and calls to relatives.

And the next day it was off again, a bit like an endless day.

"

A box spring to hit balls

The organization of the tournament provided each athlete with a bicycle, weights or rubber bands.

Some may have gleaned a treadmill.

“There is still a real deficit compared to those who have had a normal fortnight

(Editor's note: with five hours of outing a day to train)

, observes Paul Quétin, physical trainer at the FFT.

The bicycle allows to maintain on the cardiovascular plan, to have a daily muscular work.

We can, even in a room, by moving the elements, do a little movement, lunge work, half-squat… We take water packs, I have seen some that lift chairs, anything is possible in the matter but that can only be palliatives to try to remain in acceptable physical condition, by no means optimal.

"

VIDEO.

Australian Open: in quarantine, tennis players train in their hotel room

Many have turned their box spring into a wall of misfortune to hit a few balls.

“I didn't do it,” explains Muller.

I only did

shadow

, blank gestures.

There is not especially the place and I know that tennis, it is not lost.

When we are injured, we are used to not touching the racket.

I don't think kicking a mattress can fix it.

"

Meanwhile, Pablo Cuevas gets ready to play under Australian heat.



(🎥 @ PabloCuevas22) pic.twitter.com/WH3DQ5VqMs

- We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) January 28, 2021

During the spring 2020 confinement, Quétin had organized videoconference sessions with the French Fed Cup team.

Morning essentials newsletter

A tour of the news to start the day

Subscribe to the newsletterAll newsletters

“You have to be imaginative to adapt to small spaces,” notes the technician.

The hardest part is when it comes to changes of direction, blocking, braking… Afterwards, the problem is also in the head.

The psychological dimension is enormous.

Some will do little because they are frustrated, they don't want to.

Others will find the resources to do sit-ups, core training, jump rope, bed push-ups, etc.

It's a challenge.

We will see at the exit who was resistant and resilient.

"

"The risk of getting hurt or being in big trouble"

On Friday evening, the hotel staff will slip under Muller's door when he is released.

“We'll have to get our things ready and we'll have ten minutes to get out when they knock on our door,” he says.

We will go to the reception, we will get the accreditation and we will be free to do what we want while respecting local laws!

What I will miss the most is to breathe outside and see people.

It's all stupid, but it's been two weeks since I spoke to anyone in real life except a few words to those who come to do PCR tests every day.

"

READ ALSO>

Tennis: facing the Covid-19, what future for the circuit?


With the 300 Australian dollars daily (approximately 190 euros) allocated by Tennis Australia, the world n ° 208, which must still hope for two packages to integrate the final table of the Grand Slam has rented ... an apartment.

"I've seen enough of the hotel room," he smiles.

We will be with my coach, we will have more space, a balcony, we will finally go and play.

Live normally, what.

"

Or almost.

Because it will be necessary to manage the end of this forced parenthesis.

For the girls, a special WTA 500 event has been set up for the confined to the extreme.

On the other hand, the boys, especially those who, like Paire, play the ATP Cup from Tuesday, February 2, risk a hell of a return to abuse.

What day is it?

pic.twitter.com/FU4Lb4Qixy

- victoria azarenka (@ vika7) January 25, 2021

“Honestly, resuming competition three days after leaving is extremely limited, loose Quétin. On the one hand, there are lots of things that cannot be reproduced in a home, but there are also other parameters related to the body's habituation to light, sun, heat. There is the risk of injury or of being in serious difficulty. You have to pay particular attention to the shoulder when you have not served for two weeks, to the back, to the abs. They shouldn't want to pick up too hard, too quickly. If they are reasonable at the start, there is the possibility of catching up a bit. "

Source: leparis

All sports articles on 2021-01-29

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.