Novak Djokovic Faced With The Possibility Of Missing Australian Open Due To Covid 19 Vaccination

Novak Djokovic will not be able to enter Australia to defend his Australian Open title unless he is fully vaccinated for Covid-19, the country’s immigration minister said on Wednesday, putting the Serb’s grand slam record bid in doubt.

World number one Djokovic, who is level with Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal on 20 grand slam titles, has declined to reveal his vaccination status, and said he is unsure if he will defend his Australian Open crown.

Clarifying Australia’s visa requirements, Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke said foreign players would need to have had two vaccination shots to play the grand slam at Melbourne Park in January.

“You’ll need to be double vaccinated to visit Australia. That’s a universal application, not just to tennis players. I mean that every visitor to Australia will need to be double vaccinated,” Hawke told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio.

“I don’t have a message to Novak. I have a message to everybody that wishes to visit Australia. He’ll need to be double vaccinated.”

Apart from Serbian Djokovic, who has won nine of his grand slam titles at the Australian Open and the last three in succession at Melbourne Park, the rule could exclude scores of players from the tournament.