The Australian Open will start on February 8, three weeks later than scheduled, the ATP Tour said in releasing an update of its calendar for 2021 revising the first seven weeks of the season.
The start date of the main draw of the year's first Grand Slam was originally slated for January 18 and organisers Tennis Australia have been in drawn-out negotiations with local government over COVID-19 health measures.
Tennis Australia was not immediately available for comment.
The ATP release said men's qualifying for the Australian Open would take place in Doha from January 10-13 before players relocated to Melbourne to enter quarantine.
The ATP tournament scheduled to take place in Adelaide has been moved to Melbourne to be played in the week commencing January 31, alongside another men's tournament in the city.
A shortened version of the ATP Cup men's team tournament will take place in Melbourne from February 1-5 before the Grand Slam begins on the following Monday.
The ATP season will open with tournaments in Delray Beach, Florida and Antalya in Turkey before preparations for Melbourne Park begin.
Carlos Alcaraz will miss the Madrid Open for the second consecutive year after withdrawing on Friday with a wrist injury, dealing another blow to the world number two's clay court preparations ahead of his French Open title defence.
Novak Djokovic is still working through the injury problems that forced him to miss recent tournaments in Miami and Monte Carlo and said on Friday that he will not feature at next week's Madrid Open, one of the last stops before the French Open.
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene has defended Jasprit Bumrah after the struggling pace spearhead went a fifth Indian Premier League match without a wicket in Thursday's seven-wicket defeat by Punjab Kings.
Iranian women's football players Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh thanked the Australian government on Friday for offering a "safe haven" and said they wished to resume their sporting careers after rebuilding their lives.
Ollie Watkins still has hope of making England's World Cup squad despite being dropped for last month's friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, with the Aston Villa forward saying all he can do in the last few weeks of the season is score goals.
Dubai Police, in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Interior, have arrested an Irish fugitive accused of involvement in an organised criminal group linked to international crimes in his home country.
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has met with His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, to discuss national priorities and the country’s continued development.