Greg Norman in Hospital With 'Mild Symptoms' After Positive COVID-19 Test

Australian former golfer Greg Norman is treated for Covid-19 in a United States hospital on Christmas Day. Photograph: Greg Norman/Instagram
Australian former golfer Greg Norman is treated for Covid-19 in a United States hospital on Christmas Day. Photograph: Greg Norman/Instagram
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Greg Norman in Hospital With 'Mild Symptoms' After Positive COVID-19 Test

Australian former golfer Greg Norman is treated for Covid-19 in a United States hospital on Christmas Day. Photograph: Greg Norman/Instagram
Australian former golfer Greg Norman is treated for Covid-19 in a United States hospital on Christmas Day. Photograph: Greg Norman/Instagram

The Australian golf great Greg Norman has revealed he tested positive for Covid-19 on Christmas Day. The 65-year-old two-times Open champion, who lives in the United States, announced the news in an Instagram post containing photos of him in a hospital bed.

“This sums it all up. My Christmas Day. On behalf of millions, fuck Covid,” Norman wrote to his 188,000 followers. “Get this shit behind us never to experience it again.”

On Christmas Eve, Norman posted a video in which he described having “mild symptoms of potentially Covid” despite a test returning a negative result.

“I feel very flu-like, I have a mild fever, I have a cough, I have aches and pains, I have a mild headache,” he said.

“So I am in self-quarantine. Ugly place to be on Christmas Eve but I just do not want to jeopardize affecting any of my family or friends and loved ones around me.”

Only last week Norman played in the father-son PNC Championship in Florida with his son Greg Norman Jr. The pair finished ninth in the tournament in Florida, two places behind Tiger Woods and his 11-year-old son, Charlie.

“Lets look forward to 2021 and beyond, and making this world a better, happier, more successful, happier place,” Norman said.

“Whatever the new normal is going to be, let’s make it the new normal. We’ve learned a lot of lessons this year, it’s been an ugly one. I for one, am looking forward to getting out of this quarantine, and looking forward to building whatever the great future is in 2021.”

The Guardian Sport



Murray to Coach Djokovic Through Australian Open

FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
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Murray to Coach Djokovic Through Australian Open

FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)

The recently retired Andy Murray is going to team up with longtime rival Novak Djokovic as his coach, they both announced Saturday, with plans to prepare for — and work together through — the Australian Open in January.
It was a stunning bit of news as tennis moves toward its offseason, a pairing of two of the most successful and popular players in the sport, both of whom are sometimes referred to as members of a so-called Big Four that also included Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other player in tennis history. Murray won three major trophies and two Olympic singles gold medals and finished 2016 atop the ATP rankings. He ended his playing career after the Paris Summer Games in August.
Both men are 37 and were born a week apart in May 1987. They started facing each other as juniors and wound up meeting 36 times as professionals, with Djokovic holding a 25-11 advantage.
“We played each other since we were boys — 25 years of being rivals, of pushing each other beyond our limits. We had some of the most epic battles in our sport. They called us game-changers, risk-takers, history-makers,” Djokovic posted on social media over photos and videos from some of their matches. “I thought our story may be over. Turns out, it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome on board, Coach — Andy Murray.”
Djokovic's 2024 season is over, and it was not up to his usual, high standards. He didn't win a Grand Slam trophy; his only title, though, was meaningful to him: a gold medal for Serbia in singles at the Summer Games.
Djokovic has been without a full-time coach since splitting in March from Goran Ivanisevic.
“I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the offseason, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open," The Associated Press quoted Murray as saying in a statement released by his management team. "I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.”
Their head-to-head series on tour includes an 11-8 lead for Djokovic in finals, and 8-2 at Grand Slam tournaments.
Djokovic beat Murray four times in the Australian Open final alone — in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
Two of the most important victories of Murray's career came with Djokovic on the other side of the net. One was in the 2012 US Open final, when Murray claimed his first Grand Slam title. The other was in the 2013 Wimbledon final, when Murray became the first British man in 77 years to win the singles championship at the All England Club.
Next year's Australian Open starts on Jan. 12.