Google News 'I do not think it has gone against Novak Djokovic intentionally', says expert
by SIMONE BRUGNOLI | VIEW 6017
After the recent events involving Novak Djokovic, who was expelled from Australia on Sunday after the sentence of three federal judges confirmed his visa cancellation order for his vaccination status, Forbes magazine took care to find out which ones among the main sponsors of the Serbian have decided to continue the partnership and which have instead interrupted it.
The Serbian's visa was revoked for the second time by Immigration Minister Alex Hawk last week. Djokovic thus lost the chance to defend the title he won last year in Australia and given the recent announcement of a mandatory vaccination policy also adopted by France, the number one would risk having to give up the second slam of the year as well.
In an interview with Forbes, Novak Djokovic's main sponsors, including Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), Hublot and Lacoste, commented on their relationship with the Serb after the events related to his vaccination status.
RBI and Hublot have confirmed that the agreements with the Serbian tennis player will remain altered, given the nature of the previous collaborations compared to the turmoil involving Djokovic in Australia. The German bank (RBI) said deals with Djokovic had been made before the Serb revealed his vaccination status.
Sasa Ozmo, Serbian journalist who has been following the 20-time slam champion for years, confirmed the agreement between Djokovic and the RBI with a tweet. Even the watchmaker Hublot has declared that it will continue the collaboration with the Serbian, without making any statements on the tennis player's personal choice not to get vaccinated.
Uncle Toni opens up on Djokovic
Legandary tennis coach Toni Nadal believes Novak Djokovic will be forced to rethink his principles if there is a Covid-19 vaccine mandate in place to play at Roland Garros. "It has surprised me that the situation has gotten to where it has gotten," Nadal said.
"Djokovic could have done things in a different way. There is an unquestionable reality and that is that to play in Australia he had to get vaccinated or have an exemption. I start from the base that any organizer of a tournament wants to have Djokovic, it is normal, because he is a great player, he is one of the best in history," Nadal continued.
"For a tournament it is very good to have his presence. I do not think it has gone against him intentionally, but that they have not given him the exemptions. That's all." The controversy surrounding Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open is all that captivated the tennis world until a week ago.
