Kontaveit, Li play tug of war over Grampians Trophy
All players that arrived into Australia were required to do a two-week quarantine. Anett Kontaveit and Ann Li were among the 72 players forced into a hard quarantine where they were not permitted to leave their hotel rooms after passengers on their flights tested positive for COVID-19.
The two managed to shake off the quarantine rust and came out on top in their first event back at the Grampians Trophy WTA 500. The tournament was specifically for players that underwent the 14-day hard quarantine.
Out of time to finish before Monday's Australian Open, Kontaveit and Li were both crowned tournament champions on Sunday.
Both were pushed to edge in their tough semifinal bouts. Li managed to slip past fellow American Jennifer Brady 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 10-6, and Kontaveit saved two match points to defeat No. 5 seed Maria Sakkari, 2-6, 6-3, 11-9.
Although the players didn't face off by trading groundstrokes, they did battle each other in a game of tug of war over the winner's hardware.
Kontaveit was happy to get some match play in before the first major of the year.
"If you haven't been able to serve a single serve for two weeks, it's always going to be difficult when you start hitting," Kontaveit told press. "No matter how cautious you are, how slowly you take it, it's always going to be a little rough on the body when you start again."
Li, who has been slowly on the rise, is just excited to be out on the court competing again and is enthusiastic about 2021.
"Definitely a new situation coming here and having to do two weeks hard quarantine, but I'm proud of the work I did in the room. I tried to work out a lot and shadow hitting against the mattress," the world No. 99 said.
The competitors will receive a paycheck for the same amount as if they captured the title, and they were all smiles as they accepted the trophy together.
"Of course I would have liked to have played the final, but it is what it is, and definitely nice to sort of share the trophy," Kontaveit said.