Fans to Return to Australian Open Starting Thursday After COVID Restrictions End

Fans will once again be allowed at the Australian Open beginning Thursday, coinciding with the end of a mandatory five-day lockdown ordered by the Victorian government.

Crowd size for the remaining matches—the semifinals and finals—has yet to be determined, but there was a limit of 30,000 fans before the lockdown, per ESPN's Jake Michaels.

Through 10 days, 98,512 fans attended the Australian Open, compared to 650,138 in the same time span last year. 

The state entered a lockdown on Friday after the total number of active COVID-19 cases in Victoria rose to 13. The state registered 12 more cases since the lockdown began, bringing the total of active cases to 25, according to David Estcourt and Craig Butt of the Sydney Morning-Herald.

There have been no new cases in 24 hours among more than 39,000 tests administered.

The lockdown put the state under Stage 4 restrictions, which prevented people from leaving home for reasons other than work, grocery shopping, giving or receiving medical care or exercising.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the restrictions would be lifted at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, though masks would be required inside and outside when social distancing could not be practiced. 

Most of the cases involved in the outbreak were thought to be the variant that originated in the United Kingdom, which is easier spread than the original strain of the virus, and were linked to the Holiday Inn at the Melbourne Airport.

When fans return, they're in for a treat. Among the scheduled semifinals are Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka on the women's side and Novak Djokovic and Aslan Karatsev on the men's. 

Quarterfinal play will continue on Wednesday.