Following Rafa Nadal, Belinda Bencic and Ons Jabeur test COVID-19 positive after Abu Dhabi event

Belinda Bencic lost to Ons Jabeur, who had replaced US Open champion Emma Raducanu after the Briton tested positive for COVID-19 and withdrew from the event.

Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Belinda Bencic has tested positive for COVID-19. (Photo: Reuters)

Olympic tennis champion Belinda Bencic and Tunisian Ons Jabeur have tested positive for COVID-19 following their trip to Abu Dhabi, both said on Tuesday (December 21), a day after Rafa Nadal announced he had also tested positive. Bencic, Jabuer and Nadal had travelled to Abu Dhabi to play in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event last week.

Bencic lost to Jabeur, who had replaced US Open champion Emma Raducanu after the Briton tested positive for COVID-19 and withdrew from the event. Both Bencic and Jabeur said they were fully vaccinated and were experiencing strong symptoms.

“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 said on Twitter.

pic.twitter.com/lJMMgxmef0 — Belinda Bencic (@BelindaBencic) December 21, 2021

“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."

The Australian Open 2022 begins on January 17. Bencic said she is isolating in Tunisia.

Earlier, Nadal also said he was having some ‘unpleasant moments’ after testing positive upon his return to Spain.

(with Reuters inputs)