Belinda Bencic has 'severe symptoms' after testing positive for Covid-19

Swiss star was in the capital last week for the Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Ons Jabeur and Belinda Bencic greet each other at the net after their match at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Victor Besa / The National

Ons Jabeur during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Victor Besa / The National

Belinda Bencic hits a forehand to Ons Jabeur during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi on December 16, 2021. Victor Besa / The National

Belinda Bencic hits a shot at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Victor Besa / The National

Belinda Bencic plays a shot at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Victor Besa / The National

Ons Jabeur at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Victor Besa / The National

Ons Jabeur hits a shot to Belinda Bencic at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Victor Besa / The National

Ons Jabeur serves to Belinda Bencic at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Victor Besa / The National

Ons Jabeur in action during her match against Belinda Bencic. Reuters

Ons Jabeur hits a forehand to Belinda Bencic at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Reuters

Belinda Bencic during her match against Ons Jabeur. Reuters

Ons Jabeur embraces Belinda Bencic after their match at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. Victor Besa / The National

Switzerland's Olympic champion Belinda Bencic revealed on Tuesday that she has tested positive for Covid-19 and is suffering from "severe symptoms".

Bencic recently took part in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, where she lost to Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who had replaced US Open champion Emma Raducanu after the latter tested positive for coronavirus and withdrew from the event.

The news comes after Rafael Nadal also announced he had also tested positive.

"Unfortunately and even though I am fully vaccinated, I recently tested positive for Covid-19," Bencic said on social media.

"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).

"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."

Former world No 1 Nadal was in the UAE capital for most of last week and played at Zayed Sports City's International Tennis Centre on Friday and Saturday. Prior to competing at MWTC, the Spaniard was in Kuwait to attend an exhibition at the Rafael Nadal Academy.

Nadal, who had admitted in Abu Dhabi that he was not "100 per cent" sure if he would be ready to play at the Australian Open as he continues to recover from a foot injury, said his Covid-19 result has cast further doubts over the start of next season.

The Australian Open begins on January 17.