Return serve: Open rival says Djokovic making players look like fools
Stefanos Tsitsipas says Novak Djokovic has been “playing by his own rules” and is making other players “look like they’re all fools or something” by not following Australia’s Covid-19 vaccination requirements.
Top ranked Djokovic was included in the Australian Open draw on Thursday, though uncertainty hangs over his participation with the government yet to decide whether to cancel his visa for a second time over concerns about his medical exemption from Australiaās vaccine mandate.
The 34-year-old, a vaccine sceptic, fuelled widespread anger in Australia when he announced he was heading to Melbourne with a medical exemption from requirements for visitors to be inoculated against Covid-19.
The Australian Border Force said his exemption was invalid and he was held at an immigration detention hotel, but a court later allowed him to stay on grounds that officials had been āunreasonableā at his interview in a seven-hour process in the middle of the night.
There may be some resentment from fellow tour professionals, with all but three of the top 100 men vaccinated.
āFor sure, heās been playing by his own rules and has been doing what not many players had the guts to do, especially after the ATP announced certain criteria for players to enter the country,ā Greece world No.4 Tsitsipas told Indiaās WION news channel.
āNo one really thought they could come to Australia unvaccinated and not having to follow the protocolsā¦ it takes a lot of daring to do and putting the grand slam at risk, which I donāt think many players would do.ā
The ATP, which governs menās tennis, has said 97 of the top 100 male players are vaccinated.
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American Tennys Sandgren told reporters earlier this month that he had pulled out of the Australian Open due to the vaccine mandate and he opted not to apply for a medical exemption.
Asked if Djokovic should defend his title at Melbourne Park next week as his visa saga continues, Tsitsipas said: āThere are two ways to look at it.
āOne side of it is that almost every single player is fully vaccinatedā¦ and have followed the protocols to play in Australia.
āOn the other hand, it seems not everyone is playing by the rulesā¦ a very small majority chose to follow their own way, which kind of makes the majority look like fools.ā
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