Google News Victoria Premier to Novak Djokovic: No vaccine, no Australian Open participation
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 35102
Victoria Premier Dan Andrews has underlined that there won't be exceptions made for any players at the Australian Open and that could spell trouble for world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. A few days ago, the Victoria government announced that all athletes in the state must be fully vaccinated by the end of November.
Djokovic, ranked at No. 1, is believed not to be vaccinated and, as it stands now, unvaccinated players will not be allowed to compete at the Australian Open. Djokovic has been reluctant about taking the vaccine and he could find himself in a tough situation regarding the Australian Open participation.
“[Grand slam] titles won’t protect you,” Victoria Premier Andrews said when asked by reporters. “The only title that will protect you is you being able to have had your first dose and second dose.
“Logic, and numerous conversations with the Prime Minister, tells me that if you are an Australian citizen, you will be allowed home if you haven’t had the jab. “But if you’re coming on a tourist visa or a business visa, so you’re not an Aussie, like, you are coming to visit, the notion of you getting in here without being vaccinated, I thinks very, very low”.
Djokovic tipped to win the Australian Open
After Djokovic lost the US Open final, former world No. 2 Alex Corretja tipped Djokovic to bounce back by winning the Australian Open. "This is a learning process for Novak as well and I'm sure he will come back strong," Corretja told Eurosport.
"He needs to realise that his season was perfect and it was just that he lost a couple of matches. For him it's going to relieve the whole pressure and he will take on new goals for the future. "And that will come again in winning the Australian Open next year, or even the ATP finals at the end of this year if he decides not to take a little bit of time off to chill."
