Canberra International slated to relocate to Victoria for second straight year

Tennis Australia want to emulate the AFL hub model by shifting all events to Victoria ahead of January's Australian Open to ensure the strongest-possible field for the first major of the year.

They plan to transfer at least five major events, including the Canberra International, to the state due to logistical challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

It means the capital will miss out on Australia's summer of tennis for the second straight year, after Tennis ACT was forced to relocate the 2020 Canberra International to Bendigo due to hazardous bushfire smoke.

Next year's tournament was scheduled to run from January 4-10 in Lyneham, with Tennis Australia yet to confirm its re-worked fixture.

Tennis ACT chief executive Kim Kachel said the sporting body is working through what level of support they can provide to planning the relocated tournament.

"It's disappointing we won't see the Canberra International here in January, but it's certainly pleasing that the summer of tennis will proceed," Kachel said.

"We know the players really love Canberra and we're sure they'll be back in the future.

"The team has shown they're adaptable and resilient in starting the year by moving the Canberra International to Bendigo in trying circumstances.

"We're sure to find some creative ways to recognise and celebrate the usual host cities, like Canberra, with the events going down to Victoria.

"I know the intent is to try and retain the names of the lead-up events, we're just working through what level of support we'll be able to provide. The team has certainly been willing to help."

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It would be a similar build-up to the 2020 US Open, which transferred the Cincinnati Masters to Flushing Meadows as a warm-up, but on a more extreme scale.

The US Open field in September was considerably diminished because of COVID-19 pandemic, which Australian Open organisers are desperate to avoid.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley felt they now had a "guarantee" that the event would go ahead, but the premier insisted such plans were far from settled.

"The notion this is all tied up with a bow, it's a done deal, that's simply wrong," Andrews said on Monday.

"The public health team needs to sign off on all of these arrangements and they are just not settled.

"We want the event to happen, just like the Boxing Day Test, but the thing about the cricket compared to the tennis is it's a tiny group of people (who) we think we can quarantine.

"It's a massive event, it's an event that all of us love ... but it comes at a time when the rest of the world is on fire.

"The notion this is all a done deal and there's going to be all these tennis players turning up - no, this is not settled at all.

"It's an important event, absolutely, but avoiding a third wave is arguably even more important. This needs to be done on the best of public health advice."

The unprecedented measure flagged by TA would see up to 550 players and their entourages flying into Melbourne from mid-December, where they would be allowed to play and train but be restricted to hotels or the tennis court until they had completed two weeks of quarantine.

They would then be free to travel around the state for competition, with some of the tournaments set to be held at regional venues such as Bendigo and Traralgon, subject to approval.

Some events could be played after the January 18-31 Open in a re-worked calendar.