Australian Open finalist Matt Ebden has slammed Western Australia’s backflip on border rules.
Ebden, a West Aussie, finished runners-up alongside Max Purcell in the Australian Open men’s doubles on Saturday night, going down to fellow countrymen Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis in the final.
The 34-year-old’s original plans had him finishing the tournament and returning to his home state on February 5, when the state’s border was meant to open for vaccinated travellers.
Unfortunately for the doubles star, WA Premier Mark McGowan recently backflipped on that opening date, meaning Ebden will now head home to complete two weeks quarantine - all while his wife is eight months into a pregnancy.
Learning the news of the border backflip during the tournament, Ebden said that his wife’s situation at home played on his mind.
“It was tough to leave a very pregnant wife at eight months and knowing that you still couldn’t go back anytime you needed to for an emergency,” he said post-match.
“Then for the rug to be just pulled from underneath me last week and this last week, it’s terrible I think.”
Doubling down on his criticism of the Premier’s call, Ebden said West Aussies had “been lied to” and pointed to the state’s high vaccination rates as reason for his displeasure.
“It’s a terrible situation, what’s still going on in Western Australia. I think it’s ridiculous. I think everyone there is starting to see that everyone has been lied to for so long, the trust has been betrayed,” he said.
“Everyone has gone and got vaccinated, almost 100 per cent of the people, and then to turn around and just lie to everyone and say, ‘Sorry, no, we’re changing again’. It’s just ridiculous.”
Western Australia’s vaccination rates are above 90% for people over 12 years old.
McGowan is yet to provide a new timeframe of when the state will open up properly.