World No 1 Novak Djokovic has claimed he is not anti-vaccination, but would rather skip Grand Slams than be forced to get a Covid-19 jab. Photo: Don Emmert / AFP
Djokovic u-turns on US Open, backs the staging of Grand Slam
Novak Djokovic says he is extremely happy the US Open escaped the lockdown cull which claimed Wimbledon and much of the season.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic has claimed he is not anti-vaccination, but would rather skip Grand Slams than be forced to get a Covid-19 jab. Photo: Don Emmert / AFP
In an apparent about-face, World Number one Novak Djokovic has lent his support to the proposed staging of US Open tennis.
Organisers are set to go ahead with a radically altered tournament from 31 August which will see the qualifying tournament cut.
Djokovic has a change of heart on US Open
After being highly critical of the US Open last week, Djokovic has now backed the return of tennis.
“I’m extremely happy and excited to see that all the tournaments, especially Grand Slams, are organising their events,” Djokovic said of both the US Open and Roland Garros which is set to be held in September.
ATP Tour set to restart soon
With Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since the second world war and Roland Garros taking place several months later than normal, the tennis calendar doesn’t look at all normal, but Djokovic is happy that the tour looks set to restart soon.
“I think that a lot of people were sceptical, especially for the US events considering what the US went through as a country during this pandemic,” the 17-time Grand Slam winner told Eurosport’s Tennis Legends podcast.
“So a lot of people, including myself, were quite sceptical on whether it would happen or not.
“We are very glad that it is happening, of course, and it is very important that we provide opportunities, we provide jobs, we provide opportunities for players to compete.
“Because at the end of the day, this is what we do! As tennis professionals we love the sport; we are passionate about it. We miss competing and travelling and, at the end of the day, we miss being on tour. So I think this is very positive news.”
Grand Slam dreams on ice but unique treble on the cards
The Serb was set to launch an attempt at completing the Grand Slam this year after winning the Australian Open before the global shutdown.
Djokovic still hopes that the tournament doesn’t take place with the kind of strict protocols that could prevent players from putting on the best matches. The number one feels it is vital that the restrictions including the existing ban on South American players travelling to compete be eased before the Grand Slam gets underway.
“Let’s hope that in the next two months some of those restrictions will loosen up a bit and that we will have a great, great tournament,” the 33-year-old said this week.
