MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s second largest city, Melbourne, will relax its third lockdown and allow spectators to return to the Australian Open tennis tournament after a five-day absence. Organizers say Rod Laver Arena will be allowed 7,477 spectators — around 50% of its capacity — from Thursday for the final four days of the Grand Slam event. Up to 30,000 tennis fans a day had been allowed into three zones in the tournament venue before the five-day statewide Victoria lockdown. Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews earlier said health authorities would decide the tennis crowd numbers. The lockdown has been enforced across Victoria to prevent the virus from spreading from the state capital.
