An army of workers toiled to create a safe environment at the Australian Open.
A funny thing happened at the end of plenty of matches at the Australian Open this year: Players gathered their used water bottles and their sweat-soaked towels and put them in garbage and laundry bags ratherthan leaving them for someone else to clean up and, in the process, come into contact with their germs.
Many of the hygiene workers were in Melbourne on student visas. Andres Diaz carried disinfectant bottles at all times. Photo / Alana Holmberg, The New York Times
The court services team used ultraviolet disinfecting guns to sanitise player areas before the start of play. Photo / Alana Holmberg, The New York Times
Cleanliness has truly been a virtue at this tournament. Workers scour the grounds looking for recently vacated tables to scrub. The moderator of news conferences cleans the dais with a disinfecting wipe as soon as a player leaves it. Bathrooms are seemingly in a constant state of scrubbing.
Sanitation workers in an elevator during the Australian Open. Photo / Alana Holmberg, The New York Times
The hand sanitisers could be seen throughout the park and at communal places like a phone charging station. Photo / Alana Holmberg, The New York Times
Studies have shown that the coronavirus does not easily spread from unclean surfaces. People have to breathe in the tiny virus particles. But a clean tournament helps make all the people who come to Melbourne Park feel that they are in a healthful atmosphere. Perhaps cleaner sporting events will be a legacy of Covid-19 that stays with us, but it does not come easy. It takes work.
Handrails are cleaned at Melbourne Park's Rod Laver Arena between afternoon and evenings sessions. Photo / Alana Holmberg, The New York Times
Customer experience ambassadors at the Australian Open. Photo / Alana Holmberg, The New York Times
