Simona Halep's Palermo appearance in question after new quarantine rules in Italy

The upcoming Palermo Ladies Open could lose its biggest draw in world number two Simona Halep after Italy decided to impose a mandatory quarantine of 14 days for people coming from Romania and Bulgaria amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Halep confirmed two weeks ago that she would be playing at the Ladies Open Palermo in a video message released across the tournament's social media, in which she said: "I'm very happy to announce I will be back in Palermo after ten years. Hope to have a great week over there."

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But her appearance there could now be in question after Italy's health minister Roberto Speranza announced new coronavirus quarantine rules for people who have been in Romania and Bulgaria in the past 14 days.

That would include Halep.

Palermo will mark the first professional tennis event across the WTA and men's ATP Tours since early March, with action scheduled to get underway at the Ladies Open on the clay courts of the Sicilian capital from August 3.

Tournament director Oliviero Palma said organisers have written an urgent letter to Speranza, asking for exemption for tennis players taking part in the event.

"The provision would penalise a player like (Romanian) Simona Halep, world's number two and Wimbledon's reigning champion, who wouldn't take part in Palermo's tournament anymore," Palma said in a statement.

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Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova had already been forced to withdraw from the tournament due to travel restrictions.

Italy was the first European country to be hit hard by the novel coronavirus but the number of daily new infections being reported is a fraction of those seen in late March. The country has recorded over 35,000 deaths from the virus.

Palermo will have strict health precautions and all players will undergo Covid-19 tests before they come, on arrival and every four days subsequently.

"We're convinced that the health protocols adopted by the WTA are so strict to guarantee the safety and health not only of athletes, yet also of all the various workers involved in the event," said Palma.

I'm convinced that there are all the necessary conditions and guarantees to give a derogation for all tennis players coming from Romania or Bulgaria, in order to avoid their quarantine and, hence, their retirement from the tournament.

Neither Halep nor the WTA have yet made any statement in response to the news.

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