Novak Djokovic's Anti-Vaccination Stance Could Delay Tennis Return

If tennis players are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they are allowed to return to the court, that could be a problem for Novak Djokovic. Djokovic, the world’s top-ranked player, revealed in a Facebook Live chat with other top Serbian athletes that he’s an anti-vaxxer.

“Personally I am opposed to vaccination and I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel,” Djokovic said. “But if it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision. I have my own thoughts about the matter and whether those thoughts will change at some point, I don’t know. Hypothetically, if the season was to resume in July, August or September, though unlikely, I understand that a vaccine will become a requirement straight after we are out of strict quarantine and there is no vaccine yet.”

Obviously, unless Djokovic changes his stance, he may not be able to take the court to compete against his peers if/when the 2020 tennis season resumes.

In a tweet last month, former top female player Amelie Mauresmo said the 2020 tennis season should not resume until players can get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Je crois qu’on va devoir tirer un trait sur la saison 2020 de tennis. Circuit international = des joueurs et joueuses de toutes nationalités plus les encadrements, spectateurs et les personnes venant des 4 coins du monde qui font vivre ces événements.
Pas de vaccin=pas de tennis

— AmelieMauresmo (@AmeMauresmo) March 31, 2020

“I think that we are going to have to draw a line under the 2020 tennis season,” she wrote on Twitter at the end of March. “The international circuit = male and female players of all nationalities including their coaching staff, spectators and people from all over the world who bring these events to life. No vaccine = no tennis.”

As of now, the governing bodies of tennis have suspended all tournaments until July 13.

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