Tennis news - What Novak Djokovic's 'anti-vaccination' comments mean for his tennis future

ByThe Editorial Team

Updated 08/05/2020 at 09:14 GMT

Novak Djokovic seemingly threw his short-term tennis future into doubt by saying he is opposed to vaccinations and wouldn’t want to be “forced” to take a vaccine to travel. But what would this actually mean for the world No 1 and his quest for further titles? We take a look…

What has Djokovic said?

Speaking in a live Facebook chat with several fellow Serbian athletes on Sunday, Djokovic said he would have a “decision” to make if there's a push for players to be vaccinated when tennis resumes.

“Personally I am opposed to vaccination and I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel. But if it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision.

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“I have my own thoughts about the matter and whether those thoughts will change at some point, I don’t know.

“Hypothetically, if the season was to resume in July, August or September, though unlikely, I understand that a vaccine will become a requirement straight after we are out of strict quarantine and there is no vaccine yet.”

Why could Djokovic’s comments impact his future?

No vaccine = no tennis.

That was the view of former world No 1 Amelie Mauresmo in a tweet sent last month, with her reasoning being: "International circuit = players of all nationalities plus management, spectators and people from the four corners of the world who bring these events to life."

Mauresmo’s view on vaccines is not the official stance of any tennis organisation yet, but when the tours resume it might be that all players (and perhaps coaches and team members) require a vaccine before they compete, in a bid to try and prevent the further spread of coronavirus.

If that is the case and Djokovic decides not to get vaccinated, then the outcome would seem to be that the world No 1 would not be able to play ATP events or Grand Slams.

When will tennis resume?

As with plenty of things in the world right now, nobody knows.

All tennis tournaments have currently been suspended until July 13 while the French Open has been postponed, Wimbledon has been cancelled and the US Open is in doubt. Depending how the coronavirus situation develops there could potentially be no further play until 2021.

Richard Lewis, the outgoing chief executive of Wimbledon, said earlier this month that he doesn't think "it’s unrealistic to say that there may be no more tennis this year."

However, it will likely be back next summer at Tokyo 2021, when Djokovic could be bidding for the only major achievement he has yet to win - an Olympic gold medal.

The Serbian said in a recent Instagram chat with Andy Murray that his Olympic losses are some of the toughest of his career.

There will be no Wimbledon title to defend this year for Djokovic

Image credit: Getty Images

Could Djokovic play without taking a vaccine?

Possibly – who knows what the guidelines will be when tennis eventually returns and whether they could differ between events.

Tennis is potentially resuming without a vaccine in Germany, where lockdown restrictions are starting to be eased.

According to the Daily Telegraph, an exhibition event is set to be staged in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate from May 1, with Dustin Brown among the eight players competing.

The event will be held behind closed doors.

What has been said about a vaccine?

According to the World Health Organisation, more than 70 Covid-19 vaccines are in development worldwide.

But expectations have been tempered over when they might be available and how effective they could be.

“This will take time, and we should be clear it is not a certainty,” the UK government’s chief scientific advisor Sir Patrick Vallance told The Guardian.

David Nabarro, professor of global health at London’s Imperial College and an envoy for the World Health Organization on Covid-19, added: “Some viruses are very, very difficult when it comes to vaccine development.

“So for the foreseeable future, we are going to have to find ways to go about our lives with this virus as a constant threat.”

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