Photo: PHOTOSPORT The start date of the main draw of the tournament was originally slated for Jan. 18 and Tennis Australia have been locked in drawn-out negotiations with local government over COVID-19 health security measures. Organisers were still unable to confirm the start date on Thursday, despite the ATP's release. This year's Wimbledon tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the U.S. and French Opens went ahead with the players confined to bio-secure 'bubbles', unable to leave their hotel rooms except to train and play. The state of Victoria on Thursday recorded a 48th straight day without a case of community transmitted COVID-19 but many health restrictions remain in place in Melbourne, and international travel to Australia is still strictly limited.