Article content
A day after Novak Djokovic refused to release his vaccination status, a Victoria state official warned players to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or risk missing the 2022 Australian Open.
Article content
Djokovic said in an interview on Monday that he could miss the first grand slam of the season in Melbourne with “things as they are.”
However, the world’s number one was adamant about not answering if it meant he was not wavering.
“I will not reveal my status whether I have been vaccinated or not, it is a private matter and an inappropriate investigation,” Djokovic told Serbian media on Monday, according to Reuters. “People go too far these days to take the liberty of asking questions and judging a person. Anything that says ‘Yes, no, maybe, I’m thinking about it,’ they will take advantage of it. “
Djokovic is the defending Australian Open champion after claiming his ninth title in Melbourne in 2021. But that was then.
Daniel Andrews, prime minister of the state of Victoria, issued a warning on Tuesday.
Article content
“I don’t think an unvaccinated tennis player is going to get a visa to enter this country,” Andrews said during a news conference Tuesday. “If they got a visa, they would probably have to quarantine themselves for a couple of weeks when no other player has to. … I don’t think that any other tennis player, golfer or Formula One driver will get a visa to get here ”.
The Australian Open begins on January 17, 2022.
The tournament was delayed for three weeks in 2021 and players were forced to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks upon arrival.
Djokovic was criticized for requesting that players receive better accommodations during quarantine and that protocols be lowered.
Reference-torontosun.com