Djokovic’s father lashes Australian Open ‘blackmail,’ says son probably won’t play
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Novak Djokovic’s father Srdjan says the world No.1 will probably not compete in next year’s Australian Open and has described the restrictions and requirements in place due to COVID-19 as “blackmail”.
Players must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to take part in the summer slam, and though Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley has said he expects vaccination rates among players to hit 95 per cent by January, Novak Djokovic has declined to say whether he has had the jab.
Novak Djokovic has not revealed whether he is vaccinated against COVID-19.Credit:Getty
Srdjan Djokovic told Serbian television program TV Prva, later reported in English by B92, that whether Djokovic heads to Australia for the tournament “depends on how they position themselves”.
“He would want it with all his heart because he’s an athlete, and we would love that too,” Srdjan said of his son’s appearance in Melbourne. “Under these blackmails and conditions, he probably won’t. I wouldn’t do that. And he’s my son, so you decide for yourself.”
He also spoke about vaccination, defending his son’s position on privacy and saying even he did not know whether Djokovic was vaccinated.
“As far as vaccines and non-vaccines are concerned, it is the personal right of each of us whether we will be vaccinated or not,” he said.
“Everyone has the right to decide on their health. Whether he is vaccinated or not, that is his exclusive right. Will he publish it, I don’t think so. I don’t know that decision either, and if I did, I wouldn’t share it with you. He has the right to decide as he wants.”
Srdjan Djokovic also lashed out at Tiley over which vaccines are recognised in Australia.
“What is a recognised vaccine, Mr. Craig? Russian vaccine is not a recognised vaccine? According to our criteria, only Chinese and Russian are recognised. The libertarian world has 90 per cent of the world’s population. For us, it is Russian and Chinese. Recognise them along with your vaccine. I don’t think that’s right, because you don’t recognise Russian and Chinese,” he said.
“… Not accepting this or that vaccine is ridiculous, not to say another word. We will never divide vaccines or peoples wherever anyone comes from. We are part of the world and vaccines are part of the world wherever they come from. They all made vaccines to help this world, but whoever does not accept to be vaccinated, that is his personal right.”
According to the TGA, Australia has approved the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen vaccines for use in the population here. Sinovac and Sinopharm are among four other vaccines that are recognised for the purposes of international travel to Australia.
Srjdan Djokovic also dismissed the idea of hotel quarantine, which had previously been suggested as an option for unvaccinated players but has since been ruled out by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.
“Quarantine, right, but one should spend 14 days in a hotel room and not even come out in the hotel lobby. Well, they came up with a great idea, let them play in the tournament then,” Srdjan Djokovic said.
Djokovic, a nine-time Australian Open champion, would be bidding for his 21st grand slam title if he were to compete at Melbourne Park in January.
He contracted COVID-19 during his ill-fated Adria Tour event, which he organised in the Balkans in June 2020, but said he did not suffer from any symptoms.
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