First victory for Novak Djokovic: the noWorld 1, who has never communicated on his vaccination status, announced on Tuesday that he had obtained a “medical exemption” which will allow him to seek a 21st record Grand Slam title at the Australian Open (January 17 to 30) in Melbourne.
“I had a great time with my loved ones during the holidays and today I’m leaving for Down Under (Australia) thanks to a waiver,” the 34-year-old Serb wrote on his Instagram page. to accompany a photo of him at the airport with a bag of snowshoes.
“I am ready to live and breathe tennis in the weeks to come of competition. Thank you all for your support ! Idemooo (Alleeeez, Editor’s note) 2022 ”, he added.
In the process, the Australian Federation (TA), organizer of the tournament, explained in a statement that Djokovic had “requested a medical exemption which was granted to him after a rigorous examination (of his request) involving two different and independent groups of medical experts ”.
But the body has taken refuge behind medical confidentiality, not to say more.
“Fair and independent protocols have been put in place to assess requests for medical exemptions in order to ensure a safe and enjoyable 2022 Australian Open for everyone,” TA chairman Craig Tiley said in the statement. communicated.
“Not a tip”
In December, while a rumor wanted the no1 world would be authorized to travel to Australia via an exceptional medical exemption, the Deputy Prime Minister of the state of Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, had reaffirmed that no exemptions of convenience would be issued.
“Anyone who wants to come to the tournament, spectators, players, officials, staff, everyone must be fully vaccinated. The medical exemption is not a trick for use by privileged players ”, then insisted James Merlino.
Suddenly, the French Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who refuses to be vaccinated, gave up going to Melbourne.
Novak Djokovic has left him in doubt for months, due to the obligation for players to be vaccinated to enter Australia, on his participation in the first round of the Grand Slam 2022, where he will aim for a record 21st major title. , he who had equaled Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (20) by winning at Wimbledon last year.
But the Australian Open is his favorite tournament: it is in Melbourne that he won his first Grand Slam title (2008), and no one has won there as much as him (nine victories).
“I don’t know if I’m going to go to Australia, I don’t know what’s going on. The situation is currently not good, ”he declared to the Serbian daily Blic in October 2021, refusing to say whether he was vaccinated or not. “It’s a private matter”.
After new evasive statements about his coming to Australia, his unjustified withdrawal for the ATP Cup, a few days before this team tournament organized in Sydney from January 1 to 9, had further thickened the doubt about his participation in the Open from Australia.
“Not for vaccines”
The no1 worldwide spoke in April 2020 against compulsory vaccination, then considered to allow the resumption of tournaments.
“Personally, I am not for vaccines. I would not like that someone forces me to be vaccinated to travel “, then affirmed” Nole “.
The Serbian was criticized a few weeks later for having organized in early June 2020 in the Balkans the Adria Tour, a traveling charity tournament respecting the health rules in force in the region but with disregard of any precaution (full stadium without wearing a mask, hugs between players on the court, communal dinners and nightclub outings).
At the end of the tournament, Djokovic had tested positive for COVID-19, as did his compatriot Viktor Troicki, the Croatian Borna Coric and the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.
“I am deeply sorry that our tournament could have caused such damage”, apologized Djokovic at the time. “We were wrong, it was too early” to organize such a tournament, he admitted.