Novak Djokovic has accused critics of “witch-hunting” him after his Adria tour event ended in a coronavirus fiasco, and said he was still unsure whether he would play at the US Open.
Images and videos of the players hugging the net, playing basketball together and celebrating at the tournament were published on social media. Djokovic, his Serbian compatriot Viktor Troicki, the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and Borna Coric from Croatia were all tested positive for the virus and the event had to be canceled.
Djokovic, who tested positive for Covid-19 after the second leg of the Adria Tour in Croatia, vehemently fought against colleagues and experts who said he was irresponsible to stage the event amid the pandemic.
“I’ve only seen criticism lately and a lot of it is malicious,” the world’s number one told the Serbian newspaper Sportski Zurnal. “It’s obviously more than criticism, it’s like an agenda and a witch hunt. Someone has to endure the fall, a big name.
“I still haven’t decided whether I’m going to play at the US Open [which is scheduled from 31 August to 13 September]In particular, the increase in registered Covid 19 cases in the USA and New York does not play into the hands of the event, ”added Djokovic, who was back in training with Troicki on Tuesday. Djokovic tested negative after taking a second test last week, and after admitting that the Adria Tour had come too early, repeated that he had acted in good faith.
“My intention was pure, I was wholeheartedly committed to organizing a humanitarian event to help players and tennis associations in the EU [Balkan] Region, ”he said. “We have complied with all laws and regulations. But we learned our lessons and some things could probably have been done differently. “
The first leg in Belgrade on June 13th and 14th attracted 4,000 spectators who were not asked to take physical distance measures, and a week later there was the same number of fans in the Visadzhik tennis complex in Zadar.
The followers in Zadar were instructed by the Croatian government to stay two meters apart, but the final was canceled due to Djokovic and Russian Andrey Rublev after Dimitrov tested positive for the virus. The remaining two legs in Montenegro and Bosnia were scrapped.
.
