October 18, (THEWILL) – Due to the strict COVID-19 protocols at the 2022 Australian Open, Novak Djokovic is unsure if he will play and will not reveal whether he has or has not been vaccinated.
Djokovic has won the Australian Open for the past three years in a row, and if he wins again, he will surpass Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal with 21 Grand Slam titles.
Players will, however, be subjected to quarantine upon arrival in Australia, as well as living in bio-secure bubbles. They may also be required to be vaccinated in order to compete, with the state of Victoria, whose capital is Melbourne, considering requiring all professional athletes to be vaccinated, as THEWILL reported.
Speaking with the Serbian newspaper Blic, the world number one said: “I still don’t know if I will play in Melbourne. I am following the situation around Australia and as far as I understand, the final decision of the government of Australia and Tennis Australia will be in two weeks, so it is the first or second week of November.
“I do not believe that the conditions will change much in relation to what we already know. As was the case this year, there will be plenty of restrictions.
“What I heard from my manager who is in direct contact with people from the Australian federation is that they are trying to improve conditions for everyone. Both for those who have been vaccinated and for those who have not.”
At the moment, the ATP Tour has a vaccination rate of 65 percent, while the WTA Tour has a rate of 60 percent, according to recent reports.
Djokovic is among those who have yet to confirm whether he has been vaccinated, despite previously stating that he hoped vaccination would not be made mandatory.
“I will not reveal my status whether I have been vaccinated or not,” Djokovic insisted.
“It is a private matter and according to our law, whoever asks you, you can in some way charge him for asking you. That is an immoderate question. Too many people today allow themselves such freedom to ask things and condemn a person. Whatever you answer: “Yes, I didn’t, maybe, I don’t know, I’m thinking!” they will abuse it.
“The media has become…I have no word how to describe it. It spreads fear and panic among people and I don’t want to participate in that rift. I feel that everyone is hostile. I don’t want to give them a reason to write some things about me.
“Now what I told you, one of your editors can take and make a scandal out of it. I don’t want to take part in any storm that is happening right now. I’m telling you, I don’t know if I’ll go [to Melbourne]. Of course I want to go, Australia is my most successful Grand Slam, I want to participate, I love this sport, I still have motivation.”
Djokovic has not competed since Daniil Medvedev defeated him in the final of the US Open, ending his historic Calendar Slam bid. He has confirmed that he will return on November 1 at the Paris Masters, followed by the ATP Finals in Turin and the Davis Cup finals with Serbia
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.
