Novak Djokovic’s unvaccinated status still a potential risk for his 2023 campaign
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Novak Djokovic (Image: ATP Tour)
The drama around Novak Djokovic‘s unvaccinated status is refusing to die down. After leaving the last year’s infamous deportation saga behind him, the Serb is dealt with a fresh blow. New restrictions announced by some countries in the wake of rising covid cases can cast a shadow over Djokovic’s 2023 season now.
The United States has joined the list of countries to impose a ban on unvaccinated travelers. With this Djokovic faces the risk of being barred from competing in the US Open scheduled in the second half of the year. This could be a major setback for the Serb who is just looking to bounce back from the ordeal he went through in 2022.
Even in the Australian Open that starts in two weeks, the 21-time Grand Slam champion faces the risk of negative perception in front of the crowd despite getting a green light. Australian Open CEO Craig Tiley recently revealed the conversation he had with Djokovic about the same.
“We have spoken about (a possible poor crowd reaction) and he, as any athlete, would be concerned about it. But it’s one that he’s just doing the best that he can as a player,” Tiley told the media.
How can Novak Djokovic’s refusal to take the vaccine affect his 2023 season
Novak Djokovic has shown no intentions to get vaccinated despite the threat of being barred from major events. When he arrived in Australia just a few days ago he was sure that the worst was behind him. But now there is some serious risk of a repeat of the nightmare of the last season.
If the countries indeed refuse to grant any exception to Djokovic from their restriction policies, he may fail to complete the full season. In the last season, he was denied entry into North America for four Masters 1000 events and the US Open, a repeat of the same could dash his hopes of getting past Rafael Nadal in the majors tally. In the larger scheme of things, the ban can have a huge impact on the 35-year-old’s career.
Whatever happens in the future, Djokovic is currently focusing on one event at a time. He is starting the season at Adelaide International. After this, his target will to be reclaim his crown in Melbourne Park.
Related: Craig Tiley comes to Nick Kyrgios’ defense over United Cup withdrawal
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Abhinavendu Singh
(290 Articles Published)