Australian Open tennis 2021 - Denis Kudla 'told he has Covid mid-match', plays on and wins qualifier

Denis Kudla has entered quarantine at an Australian Open qualifying event in Doha after reportedly receiving the results of a positive coronavirus test during a match.

American player Kudla beat Morroco's Elliot Benchetrit 6-4 6-3, but his opponent claimed the test result came through at 5-3 in the second set.

Benchetrit claims the game in progress had to be completed, which coincided with Kudla winning the match. Had Benchetrit won the game, he would have been handed a walkover.

Kudla has now withdrawn from the tournament.

“At 5-3, they got the result. So to sum up: if I’d won that game at 5-3 to make it 5-4, I’d have qualified for the second round,” Benchetrit claimed on Instagram.

Argentine Francisco Cerundolo is also in quarantine in his hotel due to a positive test result, and had been due to play Spanish player Mario Vilella Martinez.

Australian teenager Dane Sweeny will be given a bye instead of facing Kudla and will go into the last round of qualifying.

Tennis Australia announced the positive tests in a statement.

“Two players have returned a positive Covid-19 test at AO men’s qualifying in Doha, Qatar. Both players have been withdrawn from the tournament and transferred to a quarantine hotel,” it read.

“Local health authorities, the tournament physician and medical team are monitoring each individual. Contact tracing is currently under way to notify close contacts.”