Tennis No.1 Djokovic tests Covid positive

Djokovic, wife catch Coronavirus after tennis event

Belgrade, June 23: World No.1 Novak Djokovic tested positive for the Coronavirus on Tuesday after taking part in a tennis exhibition series he organised in Serbia and Croatia.

The top-ranked Serb is the fourth player to test positive for the virus after first playing in Belgrade and then again last weekend in Zadar, Croatia. His wife also tested positive.

“The moment we arrived in Belgrade we went to be tested. My result is positive, just as Jelena’s, while the results of our children are negative,” Djokovic said in a statement.

Djokovic has been criticised for organising the tournament and bringing in players from other countries amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Viktor Troicki said on Tuesday that he and his pregnant wife have both been diagnosed with the virus, while Grigor Dimitrov, a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist from Bulgaria, said on Sunday he tested positive. Borna Coric played Dimitrov on Saturday in Zadar and said on Monday that he has also tested positive.

There were no social distancing measures observed at the matches in either country and Djokovic and other players were seen hugging each other and partying in night clubs and restaurants after the matches.

Djokovic, who has previously said he was against taking a vaccine for the virus even if it became mandatory to travel, was the face behind the Adria Tour, a series of exhibition events that started in the Serbian capital and then moved to Zadar.

He left Croatia after the final was cancelled and was tested in Belgrade. The statement said Djokovic was showing no symptoms.

Despite the positive test, Djokovic defended the exhibition series.

“It was all born with a philanthropic idea, to direct all raised funds towards people in need and it warmed my heart to see how everybody strongly responded to this,” Djokovic said.

“We organised the tournament at the moment when the virus has weakened, believing that the conditions for hosting the Tour had been met. Unfortunately, this virus is still present,” Djokovic added. — AP

● Novak Djokovic is the fourth tennis player to have tested positive for the Coronavirus from among the participants at the Adria Tour.

● Earlier, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric, Viktor Troicki and his pregnant wife tested positive for Covid-19.

AFP In this file photo taken on June 12, 2020 tennis players Novak Djokovic of Serbia, Filip Krajinovic of Serbia, Alexander Zverev of Germany, Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, Dominic Thiem of Austria and other participants of an exhibition doubles match pose for a photo with the ball boys at a charity exhibition hosted by Djokovic in Belgrade. Men’s singles world No.1 Djokovic has tested positive for Coronavirus along with Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki, after taking part in an exhibition tennis tournament. —