Novak Djokovic holed up in Adelaide as rivals train for Australian Open in Melbourne - in pictures

A tennis player waits in his hotel for a training session in Melbourne on January 19, 2021, as players train while quaratining for two weeks ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament. AFP

Storm Sanders walks back to the hotel after a training session in Melbourne. AFP

Marcelo Melo of Brazil walks back to the hotel after a training session. AFP

Latisha Chan of Taiwan. AFP

Tennis players wait to leave the hotel for a training session in Melbourne. AFP

Australian tennis player Ivana Popovic leaves the hotel for a training session. AFP

French tennis player Alize Cornet. AFP

Australian tennis player John-Patrick Smith leaves the hotel. AFP

Novak Djokovic on the balcony of the M Suites, where some Australian Open competitors are currently under quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19, in North Adelaide, Australia. EPA

Tennis fans gather outside the M Suites. EPA

Novak Djokovic on the balcony of the M Suites. EPA

Pakistan tennis player Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi reacts during a practice session in Melbourne. AFP

An unidentified tennis player hits a return during a practice session in Melbourne. AFP

Support staff appear with Dominic Thiem on the balcony of the M Suites, where some Australian Open competitors are currently under quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19, in North Adelaide, Australia. EPA

Romanian tennis player Ioana Raluca Olaru hits a return during a practice session in Melbourne. AFP

Security at the M Suites in North Adelaide. EPA

A radio station welcomes tennis players across the road from the M Suites, where some Australian Open competitors are currently under quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19, in North Adelaide, Australia. EPA

Tennis balls are pictured in front of the Australian Open logo. Reuters

Organisers of the Australian Open on Tuesday ruled out reducing the men's tournament at the Grand Slam to best-of-three sets due to players' inability to train at required level amid the strict Covid-19 quarantine rules.

A total of 72 players are currently not allowed to leave their hotel rooms for 14 days after some passengers on three charter flights to Australia tested positive for Covid-19 infections.

The rest of the players, who travelled by 14 other charter flights from across the world, are allowed five hours daily outside their hotel rooms to spend on preparing for the year's first tennis major from February 8-21.

Some players and pundits have said they feared the lack of training activities could make athletes vulnerable to injuries during the Grand Slam and called on organisers Tennis Australia to consider reducing the men's event from best-of-five sets.

"A few players came up with the idea to bring it down to three sets this time, which I think would make a lot of sense," Japanese player Taro Daniel told the Herald Sun.

"Because even for guys who are able to train these two weeks, it's not optimal training. You're limited to two hours a day and one hour of gym – so five sets would be pretty brutal this time.

"I have no idea if they'll be able to do it or not, but I think perhaps they should."

Players have also complained about the quarangtine conditions, and men's world No 1 Novak Djokovic, currently holed up in accommodation in Adelaide, sent governing body Tennis Australia requests for restrictions to be eased, drawing a backlash from Australians.

Tiley said he had a call with 500 players to address concerns and the "vast majority" had been supportive of Australia's strict protocols.