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Olympic tennis champion Belinda Bencic has tested positive for COVID-19 but is still backing herself to play next month’s Australian Open.
Switzerland’s Bencic and Tunisian Ons Jabeur confirmed on Tuesday they had both tested positive following their trip to Abu Dhabi, a day after Rafa Nadal revealed he had the virus.
Bencic, Jabuer and Nadal had travelled to the UAE capital to play in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event last week.
Bencic lost at Abu Dhabi to Jabeur, who had replaced US Open champion Emma Raducanu after the Briton tested positive for the virus and withdrew.
Both Bencic and Jabeur said they were fully vaccinated and were experiencing strong symptoms.
“Unfortunately and even though I am fully vaccinated, I recently tested positive for COVID-19,” Bencic said on Twitter.
However, Bencic was quietly confident of contesting the new year’s opening slam, which starts in Melbourne on January 17.
“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),” Bencic posted.
“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.”
Bencic said she was isolating in Tunisia.
Earlier, Nadal also said he was having some “unpleasant moments” after testing positive upon his return to Spain.