Novak Djokovic, the No 1 men’s tennis player in the world, said on Sunday that he is “opposed” to taking a vaccination once the season resumes after the break due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“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 in a live chat on Facebook with several fellow Serbian athletes.
“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.”
There are major questions regarding the resumption of professional sports across the world. Athletes would ideally need to get vaccinated before travelling and competing in tournaments but medical experts have said that vaccines against the virus will not be ready until next year.
In light of this, former world No 1 Amelie Mauresmo had said last month that the 2020 tennis season could get cancelled entirely because the players wouldn’t be protected from the virus.
“International circuit = players of all nationalities plus management, spectators and people from the 4 corners of the world who bring these events to life. No vaccine = no tennis,” Mauresmo had tweeted.
The tennis calendar has faced some big setbacks already, none bigger than this year’s Wimbledon getting cancelled. The French Open, too, has been pushed ahead from May to late September.