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It is a surprise for many since the Serbian tennis player has never disclosed his vaccine status vis-à-vis Covid 19, but it is an essential condition to enter Australia and participate in the Australian Open. The 34-year-old has announced that he has been granted a medical exemption. This news was not well received in Australia where the population has suffered very severe restrictions over the past two years.
From our correspondent in Sydney, Grégory Plesse
On his way to clinching his 21st Grand Slam title, and thus overtaking rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, it is not certain that Novak Djokovic will receive much support from spectators in Melbourne.
The announcement of his participation in the tournament, on the basis of a medical exemption from vaccination against Covid-19, is freshly received in Australia, currently submerged by the Omicron wave. The country has some 50,000 new daily cases of contamination every day. ” We are waiting for his presentation and for him to provide us with evidence to support This waiver, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at a press conference. ” If this evidence is insufficient, then he will not be treated any differently from anyone else, and he will return home on the first plane. There will be no special rule for Novak Djokovic. Not the least », He insisted
Australian players James Duckworth and Alex de Minaur were among the first to respond. They found it hard to hide their surprise. « If he meets the criteria, he should be able to come …», Simply replied the first. « It’s very politically correct of you (laughs). For my part, I find that … very interesting. I will not say more…Alex de Minaur retorted.
Quiet the rising anger
To appease the mounting anger, the president of Tennis Australia, Craig Tiley reaffirmed this Wednesday morning that the Serbian player had not received any preferential treatment: ” We understand and sympathize with those who are upset by Novak’s coming, because of his statements over the past two years about vaccination. But I really want to stress that he did not receive preferential treatment. Even if it’s the impression that it gives “. A total of 26 players or members of their staff, out of the 3,000 or so expected in Australia, have requested a waiver and only a few of them have obtained satisfaction, he said.
The world number one is due to land in Australia today. where local tabloids have already given him a nickname, “Novax”. Already winner of 20 Grand Slams, like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic is aiming for a record 21st title in Melbourne. The Australian Open, which begins on January 17, is his favorite tournament: it is in Melbourne that the Serbian won his first Grand Slam (2008), and no one has won there as much as him (nine victories ).
For months, Djokovic had cast doubt on his participation in the first Grand Slam of the year, due to the obligation for players to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter Australia.
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