No jab may ace the Djoker
NOVAK Djokovic has won so many epic battles at the Australian Open, but he‘s about to come up against his hardest opponent yet.
And it‘s a fight the world No.1 is unlikely to win.
Djokovic‘s anti-vaccination stance is set to be put to the ultimate test, with the Victorian Government almost certain to mandate that only fully vaccinated players can play in January’s grand slam tournament.
For Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley, this is his worst nightmare – and one he’d been fearing for months.
He has been in discussions with the government about the potential ramifications for his tournament should there be a hard and fast mandate rule.
There are several vaccinehesitant players, led by Djokovic and including the two men who sit behind him in the world rankings, Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Top 10 women players Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka have both said they are also worried about vaccines.
Both the ATP men‘s tour and the women’s WTA have stayed away from calling for mandatory vaccines, but have strongly encouraged players to be inoculated.
Last month the ATP estimated 50 per cent of its players were vaccinated, while the WTA estimated around 60 per cent, with world No.1 Ash Barty one of those.
Djokovic has remained guarded about his vaccination status, never confirming whether he’d had a jab.
“I feel like that should always be a personal decision, whether you want to get vaccinated or not. So I’m supportive of that,” he previously stated.
“So whether someone wants to get a vaccine or not, that’s completely up to them. I hope that it stays that way.“
In April, 2020, Djokovic stated: “Personally, I’m opposed to vaccination, and I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel.”
Tiley was part of meetings to plan for Covid-safe sport along with AFL boss Gillon McLachlan and the MCC’s Stuart Fox, where it was quickly agreed jabs should be mandatory for public-facing staff and spectators.
What it meant for participants was a matter of great debate before Victorian Premier Dan Andrews made it obvious on Friday where that discussion was headed, when he announced 1.25 million “authorised workers” had to have two COVID-19 shots by the end of November.
Included in that were professional athletes, which immediately impacted the AFL, whose players would now most likely be required to be vaccinated to begin pre-season training in coming months.
While the national cabinet and the Commonwealth will set rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated international arrivals, specific requirements for events like the Ashes Tour and Australian Open will fall to each state’s public health officers.