Novak Djokovic, currently the world's top-ranked men's tennis player, has said that he is prepared to miss the French Open or Wimbledon rather than have a Covid-19 vaccination.
In an interview with the BBC published on Tuesday, Djokovic acknowledged the ramifications of his decision not to be vaccinated and affirmed his readiness to give up his place in the tournaments and miss out on the chance to break the record for Grand Slam victories, Belga News Agency reports.
"Yes, that's the price I'm ready to pay," Djokovic said. "I have never been against vaccination, but I have always defended the freedom to choose what you inject into your body."
Related News
Djokovic arrived in Australia in January hoping to set the record for career Grand Slam victories at the Australia Open. However, he was ejected from the country after several court hearings because of his vaccination status, The Brussels Times previously reported. In the event, Rafael Nadal won the tournament to set a new record for career Grand Slam victories.
All is not lost
While anti-vaxers applaud Djokovic's stance on vaccination, the tennis great made it clear he does not want to be associated with anti-vaccine movements. Instead, he expressed a hope that vaccine requirements for tournaments would end and did not reject the possibility of being vaccinated in the future.
"We are all trying to collectively find the best possible solution to end Covid. I have never been against vaccination. I understand that globally everyone is trying to make a big effort to manage this virus and hopefully see an end to this virus soon," Djokovic said during the interview.
Under current regulations, if he tried to enter France for the French Open Djokovic would likely encounter similar issues to those he faced in Australia, the French Government has indicated. However, based on current rules for entry to England, Djokovic would probably be able to play in Wimbledon.
