Djok doubts Aussie Open defence over no vacc rule

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has admitted he might not defend his Australian Open title after it was announced players not vaccinated against coronavirus are unlikely to be allowed into the country.

The state of Victoria, which is scheduled to host the first major of 2022 in January, has introduced a vaccination mandate for professional athletes as it battles a resurgence of Covid-19 cases.

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said: ‘I don’t think an unvaccinated tennis player is going to get a visa to come into this country. If they did get a visa they’d probably have to quarantine for a couple of weeks.

‘[The virus] doesn’t care what your tennis ranking is or how many grand slams you’ve won. It’s completely irrelevant. You need to be vaccinated to keep yourself safe and others safe.’

Djokovic, a record nine-time champion in Melbourne, refused to reveal his vaccination status but said the announcement made it less likely he would compete.

The 34-year-old said: ‘ Things being as they are, I still don’t know if I will go to Melbourne. I will not reveal my status whether I have been vaccinated or not, it is a private matter and an inappropriate enquiry.

‘People go too far these days in taking the liberty to ask questions and judge a person. Whatever you say, “Yes, no, maybe, I am thinking about it”, they will take advantage.’

Djokovic said in May he hoped vaccination would not be made mandatory for players on the tour, insisting it ought to come down to freedom of choice. The world No.1 was forced to apologise after staging a charity tournament in Serbia in 2020 with no social-distancing measures, after which a number of players, including Djokovic himself, caught the virus.

At this year’s Australian Open, his demands for greater freedom for players going through mandatory quarantine prior to the tournament in Melbourne fell on deaf ears, with officials maintaining ‘no special treatment’ would be offered.