Rafael Nadal has said that every tennis player, including Novak Djokovic, who wants to compete on the professional tour will have to take the coronavirus vaccine, once it is available, if that is what the sports governing bodies decide.
Tennis365 reported that Nadal said he expects players to abide by the rules if they want to be a part of the tennis tours.
Djokovic had recently said that he is opposed to vaccinations, raising concerns about whether or not the world No 1 will return to professional tennis.
“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 had said in a live chat on Facebook with several fellow Serbian athletes.
Djokovic later said that he is ready to “keep an open mind” about the situation but will do more research before making a decision.
“I am no expert, but I do want to have an option to choose what’s best for my body. I am keeping an open mind, and I’ll continue to research this topic because it is important and it will affect all of us,” he said.
Nadal, however, is of the opinion that players must take the vaccine if it becomes compulsory since everyone’s health will be at stake.
“I am a nobody and no one can demand anything from you,” Nadal said in an interview with La Voz de Galicia. “Everyone is free to do what they like, but if you belong to the Tour, one has to comply to the rules of that governing body. If the Tour makes it compulsory to be vaccinated to be able to travel, it is to protect everyone.
“Djokovic will have to be vaccinated if he wants to continue playing at the highest level. Everyone, me too. Everyone will have to comply. If the ATP or the ITF force us to use a vaccine to play tennis, then we will have to get it. Just as we have restrictions on not taking too many medications for obvious doping control issues. It is a matter of following the rules,” he added.