He failed to take the last step at the US Open and lost the final to Russian Daniil Medvedev. Now he may miss another chance to become the best tennis player of all time. Novak Djokovic, who has long been an opponent of the covid vaccination, is likely to encounter strict rules at the January Australian Open.
At the beginning of September, the information from the opponents did not look so fatal. The rules for unvaccinated players were to be significantly more complicated at the first grand slam of the season, including the long mandatory isolation that sparked tennis players’ protests last year. But the last few days suggest a different kind of inconvenience.
The state of Victoria announced last week that vaccination will be mandatory in selected professions. When he specified the need for vaccination for professional athletes on Friday, it caused a crack in the world of tennis.
According to current information, two doses should be given by the end of November at the latest, so the deadline for the first dose is already 15 October.
Djokovic has long refused vaccination and has indicated several times since the beginning of the pandemic that he would seriously consider playing tennis if vaccination were mandatory. “I don’t think it will get to this stage. I hope so because I’ve always believed in freedom of choice,” he said in April this year.
It seems now that a crucial decision awaits him very soon.
Asked by US Prime Minister Daniel Andrews on Sunday that the world number one tennis player, the record-breaking Melbourne title holder and his absence, was reported uncompromisingly: “Twenty grand slams won won’t protect you from the virus. judge or member of parliament. “
He called vaccination a necessity. “It’s the only way to protect. Logic and numerous conversations with the Prime Minister suggest to me that the chances of coming to a country without vaccinations will be very, very low for foreigners.”
At the same time, unvaccinated professionals will not find any support at the ATP organization.
“While we respect the right to free choice, we also believe that each player should play their part in helping the wider group achieve a secure level of immunity,” the official statement said.
Of course, it is not just about Djokovic. According to information from the ATP and WTA in early September, the number of vaccinated tennis players slightly exceeds 50 percent.
For example, other tennis players from the elite five, the Russian Daniil Medvedev or the German Alexander Zverev, and the Ukrainian Elina Svitolinová and Aryna Sabalenková from Belarus are reluctant to vaccinate. She became infected with the covid last week and will lose not only the big tournament in Indian Wells, but also the final of the Billie Jean King Cup in Prague.
On the contrary, the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas has recently reconsidered his opposition.
“At my age, I see no reason for vaccination. It is not sufficiently proven and it has side effects. I will not be vaccinated until it is mandatory,” he said in August. A few weeks ago, however, he announced that he would be vaccinated by the end of the year. He mentioned the extra freedom that vaccination will bring him as the main reason.
He didn’t know that about the Australian decision yet. Apparently Australian Open boss Craig Tiley can’t reverse that. He is slowly giving up his fight against compulsory vaccination. The Age has now stated that it will eventually succumb.
“Tiley told them that star players would not come in such a case, but the government representative did not care,” the source present at the final meeting told the letter.
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