If nothing had happened, everyone would've said 'well done': Bartoli on Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic had organised the Adria Tour in the Balkan nations, featuring top players like himself, Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov, to aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, despite its noble intentions, the lax implementation of safety protocols at the exhibition tournament meant that an outbreak of the dreaded virus was imminent.
After the first leg in Belgrade concluded without incident, disaster struck during the second leg of the Adria Tour in Zadar. Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric, Viktor Troicki and Djokovic himself tested positive for COVID-19, leading to the cancellation of the tournament.
Since then, a bevvy of players, tennis experts and fans have slammed Novak Djokovic for organising a tennis tournament in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic without adequate protocols in place.
However, former French player Marion Bartoli has come out in support of the beleaguered Serb. Speaking on the Match Points Vodcast of Tennis Majors, the Frenchwoman said that Novak Djokovic is not to blame for the Adria Tour fiasco as his intentions were good.
"As a player, I think Novak did it with absolutely zero bad intentions whatsoever. For him to go back and play in Belgrade was something extremely special. I think he wanted to just celebrate tennis at a very difficult time for everybody."
Bartoli further said that the tournament went ahead only after the Serbian government's approval, which as it eventually turned out, was based on a grossly improper assessment of the COVID-19 situation.
"A few days before, a 20,000 crowd was together for a football match and the Serbian government allowed it. It's very easy to blame him afterwards to say that he should have been more cautious, but if nothing had happened, everyone would have said 'well done'."
We can't blame Novak Djokovic that much for what he did: Marion Bartoli
On being asked how Novak Djokovic's sponsors would react in the aftermath of the Serb's irresponsible behavior as the World No. 1 and President of the ATP Player Council, Marion Bartoli said that the Adria Tour failings are unlikely to affect his public standing.
In this regard, the former Wimbledon champion said that Novak Djokovic is highly regarded by one of his French sponsors, Lacoste, and their perception of him is unlikely to drastically change despite the happenings on the Adria Tour.
"I know what Lacoste think about him and he's highly, highly rated in Lacoste. I don't think that will affect him that much. We can't blame him that much for what he did," said Bartoli.
Incidentally, Bartoli is one of several French players like Gilles Simon, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who have stood by Novak Djokovic in these trying times for the Serb.