"It's a bit selfish from Novak Djokovic to arrive here as the only player unvaccinated, it's tough for us players to accept that" - Joao Sousa
Joao Sousa may be appreciative of Novak Djokovic for standing up for his ideals, but it did not stop him from describing the Serb as "selfish" for arriving in Australia unvaccinated.
The World No. 1 had initially received permission to play at the Australian Open on the basis of a medical exemption. This led to widespread dissent from the public, who felt he had been shown undue favoritism.
"The whole of Australia spent the day standing in queues in the summer heat, scouring the shops for rapid antigen tests that got more expensive as the day progressed, with no political leadership in sight," one user tweeted. "The collective anger of a nation is now directed at him."
The whole of Australia spent the day standing in queues in the summer heat, scouring the shops for rapid antigen tests that got more expensive as the day progressed, with no political leadership in sight.
The collective anger of a nation is now directed at Novak Djokovic.
"Australians have been denied for two years, but this bloke - who’s taken extraordinary liberties in the face of the coronavirus - gets his exemption," another user tweeted. "Novak is an all-time great, but he ain’t essential."
Australians have been denied for two years, but this bloke - who’s taken extraordinary liberties in the face of the coronavirus - gets his exemption. Novak Djokovic is an all-time great, but he ain’t essential.
Speaking after his qualifying match at the 2022 Australian Open, Sousa stated that he understood where the Serb was coming from with regards to his stance on COVID-19 vaccinations. He even hailed the World No. 1's courage in defending his ideals in the face of public outrage.
But the 32-year-old did not hold back his punches regarding what it represented for the other players on tour. He called Djokovic's decision to compete at the 2022 Australian Open as the only unvaccinated player "a bit selfish".
Sousa further added that other players will understandably be unhappy with the Serb's actions and will find it hard to accept.
"I respect that he fights for what he believes and I can be empathetic with what he is going through in Australia, but it's a bit selfish from him to arrive here as the only player unvaccinated," Sousa said. "It's tough for us players to accept that."
João Sousa on the Djokovic saga. "I respect that he fights for what he believes and I can be empathetic with what he is going through in Australia, but it's a bit selfish from him to arrive here as the only player unvaccinated. It's tough for us players to accept that".
Sousa stated that Djokovic was not the only one who didn't want to get vaccinated in order to play at tournaments. But while other players got vaccinated in accordance with the policies of the tournaments, the 20-time Grand Slam champion found a way to skirt the rules.
The Australian Open required that all participating players be double vaccinated against COVID-19. Under exceptional circumstances where athletes cannot get the vaccine due to health concerns, a medical exemption was provided. This was grounds for Djokovic's exemption application.
"Many players -- not my case -- didn't want to get vaccinated and were forced to do it to be able to play tournaments," Sousa said. "He is finding a way around those rules."
Novak Djokovic addresses the controversy surrounding his postive COVID-19 result
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic finally addressed the controversy that stemmed from his positive COVID-19 result on 16 December 2021. He revealed on social media that he took a rapid antigen test on December 16 and it came back negative, which is why he attended public events on 17 and 18 December.
He also took a PCR test as an added precaution on the same day, whose positive result reached him only after he had already left for the events. But the 34-year-old stated that he undertook proper safety measures nonetheless.
"I took a rapid antigen test before going to the event, and it was negative. I had not received the notification of a positive PCR test result until after that event," the World No. 1 wrote. "But [after that] I did ensure I socially distanced and wore a mask."
However, court documents show that the World No. 1 was notified of his RT-PCR test results on December 16.
NEW:
Novak Djokovic’s positive PCR test which he submitted to Melbourne court states that sample was taken and positive result returned on December 16, 7 hours apart.
This means all those pictures of Djokovic maskless with kids on the 17th came AFTER his positive Covid result. https://t.co/FXLYnM0J4t
Djokovic could still be deported if Alex Hawke, Minister of Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, decides to use his "personal power". If not, the World No. 1 will be chasing a record-extending 10th title at this year's Australian Open.
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