Novak Djokovic rival confirms he will receive vaccine to play in Australian Open

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Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he will get the Covid vaccine in order to play the Australian Open if needs be. It comes after the Greek government slammed him earlier this year for saying he didn’t want the vaccine and thought young people ‘didn’t need’ it. Novak Djokovic remains a doubt for the first Grand Slam of 2022 as the world No 1 does not want to disclose his vaccination status.

It is looking increasingly likely that players will only be allowed into Australia if they are fully vaccinated.

Both the country’s Immigration Minister and Health Minister said unvaccinated players could be banned, with the Immigration Minster Alex Hawke telling ABC Radio: “Our health advice is that when we open the borders, everyone that comes to Australia will have to be double vaccinated.”

Players including Dominic Thiem and Andrey Rublev have since come out and announced they will be getting vaccinated in time to travel to Melbourne for the first Grand Slam of 2022.

Now, Tsitsipas has changed his previous stance on the Covid vaccine and admitted he will get jabbed if it becomes a requirement to compete at the Australian Open.

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Back in August, the world No 3 became involved in a row with the Greek government over his vaccine stance, as he said: “For me, the vaccine has not been tested enough, it is new. It has some side effects, I personally know some people who have had them. I’m not against clarifying this, I just see no reason for someone in my age group to need to be vaccinated.”

Government spokesperson Giannis Economou addressed the Greek’s comments during a press briefing days later, saying: “He has neither the knowledge, nor the studies, nor the research work that would allow him to form an opinion about it.”

However, it seems the 23-year-old has changed his mind as he has accepted getting the vaccine in order to compete in Australia.

“I will play under the conditions that have been set now. I think it’s fair,” Tsitsipas said.

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It comes as Djokovic is still a doubt to return to Melbourne to defend his title.

The world No 1 has won a record nine Australian Open titles, and the last three in a row, but admitted he is unsure about competing in January as he does not wish to disclose his vaccine status.

“I don’t know if I’m going to Australia, I don’t know what’s going on. Currently, the situation is not good at all,” he told Serbian newspaper Blic.

“I have my opinion and it has always been the same. I will not reveal my status whether I have been vaccinated or not.

“It is a private matter and according to our law, whoever asks you, you can in some way charge him for asking you. That is an inappropriate question.”

The 34-year-old also said his decision was from a “sporting” perspective, adding: “I’m telling you from the sporting point of view, I don’t know if I’ll go.”

Time is running out for Djokovic to decide to get vaccinated for the Australian Open if he currently hasn’t been jabbed.

Charter flights are expected to leave around Christmas, and he would need to leave enough time before receiving both doses of the vaccine.
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