Djokovic must be vaccinated to defend Australian Open title, says minister

The
Serbian
is
the
top-ranked
player
in
the
world
and
could
move
clear
of
Rafael
Nadal
and
Roger
Federer
for
grand
slam
titles
if
he
can
claim
his
21st
at
Melbourne
Park.

However,
Hawke’s
comments
regarding
vaccination
requirements
cast
doubts
over
Djokovic’s
participation,
with
the
34-year-old
previously
declining
to
reveal
his
vaccination
status.

“You’ll
need
to
be
double
vaccinated
to
visit
Australia,”
Hawke
said
to
Australian
Broadcasting
Corporation
radio.
“That’s
a
universal
application,
not
just
to
tennis
players.
I
mean
that
every
visitor
to
Australia
will
need
to
be
double
vaccinated.

“I
don’t
have
a
message
to
Novak.
I
have
a
message
to
everybody
that
wishes
to
visit
Australia.
He’ll
need
to
be
double
vaccinated.”

With
recent
reports
suggesting
that
over
a
third
of
professional
players
have
yet
to
be
fully
vaccinated,
a
significant
number
could
be
denied
the
chance
to
play
in
the
opening
grand
slam
of
2022.

The
men’s
ATP
and
women’s
WTA
tours
have
attempted
to
encourage
players
with
reservations
to
get
the
vaccine,
and
Tennis
Australia
explained
that
it
was
working
with
government
authorities
regarding
conditions
for
the
tournament.

“Our
understanding
is
that
the
details
around
international
visitors
entering
the
country
are
yet
to
be
decided
and
we
hope
to
have
more
information
soon,”
Tennis
Australia
said
in
a
statement.

Australia’s
health
minister
Greg
Hunt
defended
the
ruling,
explaining
that
the
decision
had
been
taken
with
the
safety
of
the
country’s
citizens
in
mind.

“The
[rules]
apply
to
everyone
without
fear
or
favour,”
Hunt
said.
“It
doesn’t
matter
whether
you
are
number
one
in
the
world
or
you
are
anything
else.”

Djokovic,
who
withdrew
from
the
Indian
Wells
Masters
this
month,
has
won
nine
of
his
majors
at
the
Australian
Open.

I
am
sorry
I
won’t
get
to
see
my
fans
in
Indian
Wells
and
play
in
the
desert,
my
favourite
place
to
go.
I
hope
to
see
you
next
year!

@BNPPARIBASOPEN

—
Novak
Djokovic
(@DjokerNole)

September
29,
2021