Australia’s world number one Ash Barty said that although she respected the decisions of others, the Australian Open’s rules regarding vaccines had to be respected.
“I didn’t feel like there was a need for me to tell everyone whether I’ve been vaccinated or not,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
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“I have been vaccinated, I have been all my life. At the end of the day, it’s part of your medical history, there’s no necessity to share it. People make different decisions for different reasons, so you have to respect that.”
Barty was vaccinated six months ago while in the US.
The ruling from the Australian Open to make vaccines mandatory for all players could mean that Novak Djokovic doesn’t have the chance to defend his crown.
Earlier this week the 34-year-old once again refused to disclose whether or not he’s been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Djokovic, who would be aiming for a fourth straight victory at Melbourne Park, and a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title, told Serbian media that many players have “bad memories” of this year’s tournament, where 72 players were forced into hard quarantine for two weeks.
Overnight she officially called time on her 2021, season, saying she wouldn’t defend her WTA crown in Mexico.
Barty claimed five titles this year, including her second Wimbledon championship, and hasn’t played since the US Open in September.
The Australian declared her willingness to prepare for next year’s Australian Open and will hold the top spot in the women’s rankings for a third straight year despite skipping the end of year tournament.
“With ongoing challenges of travelling back to Queensland and quarantine requirements, I am not willing to compromise my preparation for January.
“I wish the WTA team and the players all the best for a successful WTA Finals and the rest of the year.”