A respected tennis writer has weighed in on the ongoing debate around Novak Djokovic, insisting it would be very difficult for the world number 1 to continue in the sport if he was not vaccinated.
THE Djokovic vaccination status is one of the biggest mysteries in world tennis, with the 20-time major winner adamant that his privacy on the matter must be respected.
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Over the weekend, Djokovic responded to Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley’s claim that all players will need to be fully vaccinated in order to play at the Australian Open.
The Victorian state government previously said only vaccinated people would be allowed to enter Melbourne Park for the Australian Open, which runs from January 17-30.
“Everyone on site, the supporters, all the staff, the players, will have to be vaccinated,” Tiley said at the tournament launch.
“There has been a lot of speculation about Novak’s position, he said it was a private matter.
“We would like to see Novak here, but he knows he has to be vaccinated to play.
“He always said that the Australian Open was the event that put the wind in his sails.”
Djokovic is the nine-time reigning Australian Open champion but has refused to publicly reveal his vaccination status.
“We’ll see. We’ll have to wait and see,” Djokovic said of the Australian Open after losing to eventual champion Alexander Zverev in the semifinals of the ATP Finals in Turin.
“To be honest, I haven’t spoken to them,” Djokovic said of Australian Open officials.
“I was just waiting to find out what the news would be and now that I know, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Djokovic had previously suggested he would provide clarification after Australian Open officials made their position clear, but this has so far not materialized.
Christopher Clarey, a respected New York Times writer who was in Turin to cover the ATP Finals, said he believed the problem extended beyond the Serb’s participation in the Australian Open.
The world is no clearer on the status of Novak Djokovic
“(Novak Djokovic) kept us guessing after his loss to Alexander Zverev (at the ATP Finals),” Clarey said on SEN Breakfast.
“He was talking about clarifying once he received the policy from Tennis Australia, the policy came and he gave us no clarity.
“I guess he knows what he wants to do, but he chooses to wait until the entry list is announced again or he decides to withdraw closer to the event.
“It’s hard to know, he’s a strong-minded guy and no one knows for sure if he hasn’t already been vaccinated. I suppose he would have told us if he had been in this situation and if it depends on his personal beliefs, I know it will be tricky for him.
“I don’t think Australia will be the only place where this happens in the coming months, there will be other countries requiring players to be vaccinated.
“This is not just a decision for the Australian Open, it will be much more than that. I think it will be difficult for him to continue in this sport next year without it.
If he makes it to Melbourne, Djokovic has the chance to break a tie with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and win a record 21st Grand Slam singles title.
Nadal has confirmed he will play at Melbourne Park while Federer will be out following another knee operation.
with agencies
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