Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts through the males’s doubles group stage match between Serbia and Germany of the Davis Cup tennis event in Innsbruck, on November 27, 2021. (Picture by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)
Novak Djokovic “most likely received’t” play the Australian Open in January over obligatory Covid vaccination guidelines, the world primary’s father mentioned on Sunday, likening the restrictions to “blackmail”.
The 34-year-old Djokovic, who can be bidding for a record-breaking twenty first Grand Slam title in Melbourne, has refused to say whether or not or not he has been vaccinated towards coronavirus.
However Australian Open event chief Craig Tiley has mentioned that each one gamers have to be inoculated to participate.
“In fact he would wish to go along with all his coronary heart,” Djokovic’s father Srdjan instructed Serbian channel Prda TV.
“As a result of he’s a sportsman and there are quite a lot of our individuals, the (Serbian) diaspora, there who can be delighted to see Novak.
“However I actually don’t know if that can occur. In all probability not beneath these situations, with this blackmail and when it’s achieved that method.”
Srdjan Djokovic additionally defended his son’s “unique and private proper” to be vaccinated or not, and claimed that even he didn’t know if Novak had acquired the jab.
Tiley final week revealed that Djokovic “has mentioned that he views this as a non-public matter for himself”.
“We’d like to see Novak right here. He is aware of that he’ll need to be vaccinated to play right here,” he added.
Djokovic, a nine-time Australian Open champion, is degree on 20 Grand Slam singles triumphs with previous rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
He contracted Covid-19 through the ill-fated Adria Tour occasion he organized within the Balkans in June 2020, however mentioned he didn’t endure from any signs.
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