'Novak Djokovic tried to do what ATP should have had,' says Pablo Carreno Busta

Pablo Carreno Busta is preparing for the season's first Major of the season, speaking about his quarantine days and all the issues that have followed the players in the previous week.

Pablo defended Novak Djokovic and his intentions to help Melbourne's players and improve their condition, something that the ATP should have done instead of world no. 1.

"We already knew that things were going to be very difficult here; the Australian Government has strict measures against the pandemic, and that must be respected. Tennis Australia has made a great effort to carry out the tournament, even if the conditions are far from ideal. Perhaps setting up a bubble in Adelaide, which was not planned, with the advantages that this carries for certain players, was not ideal. Having more than seventy people isolated in the rooms was something we did not have either. The biggest problem has been the lack of information. We often don't get the news, or it arrives late.

It isn't easy for Tennis Australia either because many things do not depend on them, but on the Government, who sometimes makes decisions without consulting and taking into account that we are athletes. Since we were given the opportunity to start training, the day we practically focused on that. The five hours we have of training are the most important, the rest we dedicate to recovering and getting ready for the next day. We try to eat well and hydrate all the time, although there are also many boring hours. In my case, I am lucky to be able to be with my coach, so we can talk in person.

Between that, a series, a book and the video calls with family and friends, the days go by. There will be people who do not arrive with the ideal preparation, it is a reality. Those from Adelaide will not come in the optimal form either, but they will have normal preparation. The top players are training on the main courts, with large gyms. With all the equipment, they will also arrive more or less prepared. I am training within the club, with weak gyms and practically without equipment. Those who are isolated will not arrive in a good position to play a Major. Djokovic has tried to help the rest of the players who do not have the voice.

With the comments that were shared by the players, he was gathering information and sent that letter with several proposals. Perhaps that message should have been done by the ATP, which would have to represent us and help a little more in these situations. Subsequent criticisms have come mainly from Australia and its Government; many citizens are upset because they have not yet been able to see their families because of the restrictive measures, but that problem is not ours.

We came here to work because Tennis Australia has insisted on doing this tournament, and we have to demand minimum conditions to do our job well. Novak has asked that the rest of the players have the same opportunities to prepare for the tournament, something totally understandable; I don't see it as scandalous," Pablo Carreno Busta said.