January 06, (THEWILL) – Former world number one Rafael Nadal has slammed Novak Djokovic for refusing to get vaccinated for COVID-19, telling him to “follow the rules” as they apply to everyone else.
As THEWILL reported, Djokovic was granted a medical exemption to compete in the Australian Open, but his visa was denied by border officials when he arrived in Melbourne late on Wednesday night, putting him out of contention for the Grand Slam.
The Serbian one is currently being held at the Park Hotel, which is an immigration detention facility, and is facing deportation. His attorneys have filed an appeal against the ban, with a hearing scheduled for Monday.
Nadal, Djokovic’s major adversary, is in Melbourne practising for the year’s first Grand Slam, which begins on January 17. And, he believes the world number one should have just gotten inoculated.
“The world has been suffering enough. Get vaccinated. If he wanted, he would be playing here in Australia without problems,” Nadal remarked.
“I went through COVID. I have been vaccinated twice. If you do this, you don’t have any problem to play here. That’s the only clear thing. The rest of the things, I don’t want to have or to give to you an opinion that I don’t have the whole information.
“The only for me clear thing is if you are vaccinated, you can play in the Australian Open and everywhere, and the world in my opinion has been suffering enough to not follow the rules.”
Nadal reiterated that if Djokovic had chosen to be vaccinated, he would not be in the situation he is in now: “I think if he wanted, he would be playing here in Australia without a problem.
“Of course, I don’t like the situation that is happening. In some way, I feel sorry for him. But at the same time, he knew the conditions since a lot of months ago, so he makes his own decision.”
Nadal’s Australian Open preparations are off to a promising start, as the world number six defeated Ricardas Berankis 6-2 7-5 in the Melbourne Summer Set after receiving a first-round bye.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
