What will Novak Djokovic's tennis calendar look like if he remains unvaccinated?
Novak Djokovic shocked the world on Tuesday by announcing that he will not alter his stance on vaccination despite the events that unfolded in Australia last month. The Serb was deported from the country after a prolonged legal battle over his visa.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the BBC, the Serb declared that he did not mind missing out on future titles if it meant he could remain true to his principles of freedom of choice.
"The principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else," Djokovic said. "Would I [sacrifice taking part in competitions such as Wimbledon and the French Open over my stance on the vaccine?] Yes, that is the price that I'm willing to pay."
Novak Djokovic is prepared to miss the French Open and Wimbledon rather than have a COVID-19 vaccination but is not an anti-vaxxer, the world men's No. 1 tennis player said in his first interview since his failed attempt to play at the Australian Open reut.rs/3oO3eJ1 https://t.co/YGRKOQ0Hb6
The World No. 1 has paid the price once already, missing out on Australian Open title defense. Rafael Nadal ended up leapfrogging the Serb in the Grand Slam race by winning his 21st Major.
But what does the future have in store for Djokovic? Will the two-time winner be able to compete at Roland Garros? What about Wimbledon and the US Open Let's find out!
Roland Garros - Novak Djokovic does not fulfil the requirements for entry based on prior infection
According to the latest rules, Novak Djokovic is at risk of being denied entry to France for Roland Garros. France authorized the use of "vaccine passes" earlier this year, and as a result, only people who are vaccinated will be allowed into public places such as sporting arenas.
There are also provisions in place to accept a recent COVID-19 infection in lieu of a pass. But according to the latest amendment to the law on February 16, a positive result is only valid for four months, instead of the original seven-month period.
Djokovic tested positive on 16 December in Serbia. This means that when the French Open kicks off on May 22, the defending champion will not be able to rely on his prior infection to gain entry into the country.
Wimbledon - no problems in sight for the defending champion
England does not have any vaccination requirements for tourists. In fact, as of 11 February, even the mandatory quarantine period that was in place earlier has been lifted. Only a negative COVID test result prior to travel is needed, along with another test two days after landing.
Wimbledon kicks off on 27 June, so the 20-time Grand Slam champion has a shot at defending his title in SW19 as things stand.
US Open - vaccination mandatory for entry into the US, but too soon to tell for the World No. 1
As of now, only vaccinated individuals are allowed entry into the US.
🎟️bit.ly/3Ln1CQf
To clarify, Novak Djokovic IS on the entry list for Indian Wells. Strange press release though with Novak’s inclusion buried way down the press release. Makes me wonder if he will play twitter.com/BNPPARIBASOPEN…
The final Grand Slam of the year, however, will take place more than six months from the time of writing, in the first fortnight of September. It is too soon to predict how the landscape will look at that point. But as things stand, the 34-year-old's participation at Flushing Meadows is unlikely.
Other tournaments
Dubai Tennis Championships (February 21-26): Novak Djokovic is confirmed to compete in the ATP 500 event. There is no existing vaccination requirement for Dubai and the Serb will be the top seed.
Indian Wells Masters (March 10-20): The five-time winner is part of the line-up announced by the tournament. But with strict vaccination requirements in place for anyone entering America, his participation is up in the air. Interestingly, none of the promo banners from the tournament feature the World No. 1.
Miami Masters (March 23 to April 3): Tournament Director James Blake declared last month that the ATP 1000 event is open to Djokovic, provided he can enter America and undergo quarantine. If the 34-year-old is cleared for Indian Wells, he should be able to compete in Miami as well.
Monte-Carlo Masters (April 10-17): Tournament director Zeljko Franulovic remarked recently that as long as the 34-year-old meets France's health requirements, the tournament will be happy to host him. As is the case with Roland Garros, Djokovic's exemption based on a prior infection will have expired before the start of the tournament.
Belgrade Open (April 18-24): The World No. 1's participation at the event was confirmed by his uncle earlier this month. Since the ATP 250 event is being held in his home country, the Serb is almost certainly going to participate.