Novak Djokovic is holding firm on not being vaccinated against COVID-19 and said he will skip the rest of this season’s Grand Slam tournaments if local mandates require vaccination.
In an interview with BBC, his first since being deported from Australia ahead of the Australian Open last month, Djokovic said he is willing to give up his chances to win his 21st major championship and tie Rafael Nadal for the most ever by a male player.
“Yes, that is the price that I’m willing to pay,” he said.
The world’s No 1 tennis player, Djokovic said he isn’t against vaccination but that it should be an individual’s choice.
“The principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. I’m trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can,” Djokovic, 34, said, adding he is “a great student of wellness, wellbeing, health, nutrition.”
“Based on all the information that I got, I decided not to take the vaccine, as of today.”
The Serbian arrived in Australia believing he was medically exempt from the vaccination requirement to compete there because he had recently been through a bout of COVID-19, but his visa was revoked. Nadal went on to win the tournament, breaking the tie with Djokovic and Roger Federer at 20 Grand Slam wins.
He also addressed the time he spent in detention while the Australia courts tried to figure out his visa status, which ultimately was approved by the courts but overturned by Alex Hawke, the immigration minister.
“I was really sad and disappointed with the way it all ended for me in Australia,” he said. “It wasn’t easy.”
He said Hawke’s decision was unjustified.
“The reason why I was deported from Australia was because the minister for immigration used his discretion to cancel my visa based on his perception that I might create some anti-vax sentiment in the country or in the city, which I completely disagree with.”
Djokovic is expected to return to play next month at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.
The next major of the year is the French Open in May. Vaccination rules in France currently require the players to be vaccinated, but the government said recently that rules could be relaxed later as COVID-19 loosens its grip on the country.
New rules in England, where Wimbledon will be played beginning in June, would allow unvaccinated players to enter the country with negative tests.
Djokovic has won the past three Wimbledon singles titles.
–Field Level Media