Belinda Bencic: Olympic singles champion tests positive for COVID-19 | Tennis News
Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic has “severe symptoms” after contracting coronavirus; “Unfortunately and even though I am fully vaccinated, I recently tested positive for COVID-19”; Spaniard Rafael Nadal also said he was having some “unpleasant moments” after he tested positive for the virus
Last Updated: 21/12/21 6:06pm
Belinda Bencic has tested positive for COVID-19
Belinda Bencic has tested positive for COVID-19 after her trip to Abu Dhabi and has “severe symptoms”. It comes just a day after Rafael Nadal announced he had also tested positive.
Swiss star Bencic travelled to Abu Dhabi to play in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event last week, along with Nadal.
She lost to Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who had replaced US Open champion Emma Raducanu after she tested positive for COVID-19 and withdrew from the event.
“Unfortunately and even though I am fully vaccinated, I recently tested positive for COVID-19,” Bencic said on Twitter.
“I am currently isolating and taking all precautionary (measures) to get through this as best as possible as I am experiencing quite severe symptoms (fever, aches, chills).
“While the timing is not ideal – as I was in the final stages of my preparations for the Australian Open swing – I will make my way to Australia as soon as I am cleared and past the isolation period.”
Im sad to announce that my 2022 season will not start in Australia.
Im doing all I can to get back on the court as soon as Im able.??? pic.twitter.com/36OPeaSdX7— Karolina Muchova (@karomuchova7) December 21, 2021
In other news, Karolina Muchova, a semi-finalist at the 2021 Australian Open, has withdrawn from next year’s tournament.
The 25-year-old, who made the last four of a major for the first time and broke into the top 20 this year, hasn’t played due to injury following a first-round loss at the US Open in September.
“I’m sad to announce that my 2022 season will not start in Australia. I’m doing all I can to get back on the court as soon as I’m able,” Muchova wrote on Twitter.
The Australian Open begins on January 17.
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