"There are rules, and if you don't want to get the vaccine, you can have some trouble" - Rafael Nadal on Novak Djokovic's visa debacle
Rafael Nadal believes rival Novak Djokovic would not be in the predicament he is in right now if he was vaccinated. The Spaniard said the Serb had the right to make his own decision with regards to the COVId-19 vaccine, but pointed out that he would have to accept the consequences of his actions.
Djokovic confirmed on Tuesday that he had received a medical exemption to compete at the 2022 Australian Open. However, he was detained at an airport in Melbourne upon his arrival on Wednesday due to problems with his visa and could be deported.
Nadal, who registered his first win in four months after defeating Ricardas Berankis at the Melbourne Summer Set, was asked about Djokovic's vaccination saga in his post-match press conference.
The Spaniard made it clear that he does not have all the required information on the issue, but emphasized it was important to take the advice given by medical professionals.
"Of course what's happening is not good for no one in my opinion. But I can't have a clear opinion on everything because I don't have all the details, honestly," Nadal said.
"From my point of view, that's the only thing that I can say is I believe in what the people who knows about medicine says, and if the people says that we need to get vaccinated, we need to get the vaccine. That's my point of view," he added.
When asked whether he thinks Djokovic should get vaccinated, Nadal made it clear that he is not in a position to influence the Serb's decision. But he did indicate that Djokovic could face some problems with respect to travel and participation in tournaments if he were to stay unvaccinated.
"I don't encourage no one. I feel like everyone has to do whatever, whatever feels that is good for him. But there are rules, and if you don't want to get the vaccine, then you can have some troubles. That's the thing," Nadal said.
"I think if he wanted, he would be playing here in Australia without a problem. He went through another -- he made his own decisions, and everybody is free to take their own decisions, but then there are some consequences."
It's normal for people in Australia to get frustrated with the Novak Djokovic case: Rafael Nadal
Australia has had stringent lockdown measures ever since the start of the pandemic and a majority of the people from the country were furious that Novak Djokovic was allowed to gain entry via a medical exemption.
During the press conference, Rafael Nadal acknowledged that the pandemic had put everyone in a rough spot, and sympathized with families who were fighting to return home amidst stringent regulations.
The Spaniard said it was "normal" for people to be angry at Djokovic for what they perceived to be preferential treatment due to his status as World No. 1.
"The only thing that I can say is we have been going through very challenging [times] and a lot of families have been suffering a lot during the last two years with all the pandemic," Nadal expressed.
"I mean, it's normal that the people here in Australia get very frustrated with the case because they have been going through a lot of very hard lockdowns, and a lot of people were not able to come back home."
The Spaniard stressed that vaccination is the only way to put an end to the pandemic.
"Of course after a lot of people had been dying for two years, my feeling is with the vaccine is the only way to stop this pandemic. That's what the people who understands about this says, and I am no one to create a different opinion."