Tennis legend Todd Woodbridge says Novak Djokovic is going to have to reveal his vaccination status if he wants to compete at this summer’s Australian Open.
Djokovic said yesterday he doesn’t know if he travel to Melbourne for January’s tournament, refusing to disclose whether or not he’s been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Comments from both the Victorian premier and Federal Immigration Minister have increased the pressure on the world No.1 to get vaccinated, with suggestions Djokovic wouldn’t be allowed into the country if he’s not double jabbed.
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“I will not reveal my status, whether I have been vaccinated or not, it is a private matter and an inappropriate inquiry,” Djokovic said yesterday.
Djokovic would be aiming for a fourth straight victory at Melbourne Park, and a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title.
“The fact that he says he’s not going to tell us whether he’s had it or not, probably means he still hasn’t had the vaccination,” Woodbridge told Radio 2GB’s Wide World of Sports.
“It’s becoming increasingly likely that if you don’t have it, it’s going to be very hard to get here.
“That’s going to come down to what the governments say.”
Djokovic is coming off a season where he came within a match of the calendar year Grand Slam, falling only to Daniil Medvedev in the final of the US Open.
Having won the Australian Open nine times, he’ll start a heavy favourite in January if he competes.
“Novak is waiting until the 11th hour to make that decision, I can’t imagine him not wanting to be here, not wanting to play in what has been his most successful tournament,” Woodbridge explained.
“That hourglass is ticking, and there’s not a lot left, he’s going to have to make that call one way or the other, and if he has it, he’s going to have to tell us.”
“Holding it close to your chest isn’t going to get the outcome solved for him”
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said yesterday there’d be no special arrangements for unvaccinated athletes to compete at major events, such as the Australian Open or the Australian Grand Prix in April.
The comments seemingly mean it will be unlikely Djokovic will be allowed to travel to Melbourne if he’s not vaccinated.
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“(The virus) doesn’t care what your tennis ranking is, or how many Grand Slams you’ve won,” Mr Andrews said.
“It’s completely irrelevant. You need to be vaccinated to keep yourself safe and to keep others safe.
“I don’t think an unvaccinated tennis player is going to get a visa to come into this country and if they did get a visa they’d probably have to quarantine for a couple of weeks,” he added.
“I don’t think that the person you indicated (Djokovic) or any other tennis player, let’s not personalise it … or golfer or Formula One driver will even get a visa to get here.”
Federal Immigration Minster Alex Hawke confirmed this morning that Djokovic would need to be vaccinated to enter Australia.
“Our health advice is that when we open the borders everyone that comes to Australia will have to be double-vaccinated,” Mr Hawke said.
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