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Tennis Australia incurred a net loss of more than $100 million over a 15-month period,their annual report for 2020-2021 show,after last year’s Australian Open was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,resulting in reduced ticket sales revenue and the heavy cost of running player quarantine.

A five-day snap lockdown was called in the middle of last February’s tournament,costing Tennis Australia more than $20 million alone.

The government announced the crowd cap on Thursday afternoon before the official tournament draws and an anticipated decision from the federal government on thevisa status of world tennis men’s No.1 player Novak Djokovic. First-round matches at the tournament will kick off on Monday.

“These updates to arrangements for the Australian Open will mean that fans,players and the workforce can look forward to a terrific COVID-safe event in Australia’s event capital,” acting Minister for Tourism,Sport and Major Events Jaala Pulford said.

“Melbourne Park is the best place on the planet to watch the tennis and thousands of spectators will be able to experience the ... Open from Monday.”

Likewise,Tennis Australia said it had been working with health officials to make the event as safe as possible.

Chief revenue and experiential officer Ben Slack said:“We want to assure everyone who has purchased a ticket or premium experience that your tickets remain valid. They won’t be cancelled or changed as a result of today’s announcement.

“The 50 per cent cap on ticket sales for AO22 only applies to Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena. There are no changes to ground-pass access and we still expect to see strong crowds.”

The crowd cap was confirmed on one of the deadliest days of the pandemic in Australia,with more than 50 deaths recorded nationwide,25 of them in Victoria.

With the Omicron variant of the virus spreading rapidly,the state recorded 37,169 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday. But it is commonly accepted that the official figures underestimate the tally of cases in the community,which would be much higher if rapid antigen tests were more accessible and the PCR testing system was more efficient at delivering results.

Face masks will be mandatory for all patrons attending the tournament,except when eating or drinking. Density limits – now at one person per two square metres – will also apply to indoor hospitality venues at Melbourne Park,consistent with the limits applied elsewhere in the state.

The government said high-efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) air filters had been installed in parts of the Melbourne Park precinct to improve ventilation.

The tournament attracted 812,714 spectators in 2020,and the government’s estimates suggest it injected almost $390 million into the Victorian economy.

It returns to its traditional mid-January time slot this year after being delayed by three weeks last year.

Crowd restrictions were in place during last year’s tournament and a snap,five-day lockdown meant a large chunk of the tournament was played without fans. The cap introduced for this year’s event is similar to the restrictions that existed when crowds returned for the closing days after that lockout.

As one of Victoria’s major events,the championship is subject to anti-scalping laws that prevent anyone selling or advertising the sale of tickets for any more than 10 per cent higher than their face value.

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