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Vaccination or Title? Djokovic is 'ready to pay the price for it'

2022-02-15T09:43:24.719Z


Vaccination or title? Djokovic is 'ready to pay the price for it' Created: 02/15/2022, 10:26 am By: Marius Epp Novak Djokovic will probably miss the upcoming Grand Slams if he doesn't get vaccinated. Now the Serb seems to have made a decision. London – The moment Novak Djokovic would not have been completely painless when he had to watch Rafael Nadal lift his 21st Grand Slam trophy. Under norm


Vaccination or title?

Djokovic is 'ready to pay the price for it'

Created: 02/15/2022, 10:26 am

By: Marius Epp

Novak Djokovic will probably miss the upcoming Grand Slams if he doesn't get vaccinated.

Now the Serb seems to have made a decision.

London – The moment Novak Djokovic would not have been completely painless when he had to watch Rafael Nadal lift his 21st Grand Slam trophy.

Under normal circumstances he would have been the top favorite to win the Grand Slam, but after an unprecedented odyssey of entry, the Serb was expelled from the country due to his vaccination status and was doomed to watch.

Looking ahead doesn't give Djokovic anything that's good either.

The number one in the world is threatened with the same scenario at the upcoming Grand Slam tournaments in Paris, London and New York: no participation without vaccination.

Djokovic faces a dilemma: he doesn't actually want to be vaccinated, but in order to win more titles he won't be able to avoid the injection.

In all probability, a corona vaccination will also be a prerequisite for participation in the other three Grand Slams of the year.

Novak Djokovic continues to refuse vaccination - and jeopardizes titles

In an interview with the

BBC

, Djokovic spoke publicly for the first time after his expulsion from Australia.

And his decision seems to be clear: he continues to refuse vaccination - and also subordinates winning further tennis trophies to this attitude.

"Yes, that's the price I'm willing to pay," he said.

Novak Djokovic is at a crossroads.

© Darko Vojinovic/dpa

Djokovic does not regret his actions before the Australian Open.

"Because the principles of decision-making are more important to my body than any title or anything else," he explained, "I try to be in tune with my body as much as possible."

Tennis star Novak Djokovic hopes tournament regulations will change

But the Serb also emphasized that he was not a fundamental opponent of vaccination - and did not rule out vaccination in the future.

He keeps the possibility open "because we are all trying to find the best possible solution for the end of COVID together".

However, the 34-year-old hopes vaccination requirements would change at certain tournaments and he "can still play for many more years".

Djokovic wants to make his comeback after the quarrels in Australia next week at the ATP tournament in Dubai.

(epp/SID)

Source: merkur

All sports articles on 2022-02-15

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