KEY POINTS

  • Novak Djokovic said he might not get a coronavirus vaccination if it becomes a requirement
  • He hypothesized that this could happen if tennis tournaments resume by summer 
  • Games have been suspended until July due to the pandemic

Top tennis superstar Novak Djokovic admits that he might oppose a compulsory coronavirus vaccination if tennis pros are asked to do it to travel to sporting events.

The Australian Open 17th grand slam winner revealed that he is against being "forced by someone to take a vaccine" in a Facebook chat with other athletes from Serbia.

Djokovic hypothesized the scenario knowing that the tennis season might likely resume sometime between July to September. He theorized that a vaccine might become a requirement when the players are out of quarantine.

"If it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision," Djokovic said. "I have my own thoughts about the matter, and whether those thoughts will change at some point, I don't know."

Scientists have been trying to come up with a coronavirus vaccine since the outbreak, but experts said this wouldn't likely be ready until 2021.

A vaccine trial from the University of Oxford is aiming for mass production by September. It's one of 70 ongoing vaccine trials under the approval of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Without any vaccine, the possibility of resuming tennis tournaments could be in doubt after leagues have pushed the games’ resumption towards the end of the year.

Novak_Djokovic_Wimbledon_2011_semifinal_win_celebration
Novak Djokovic doesn't want compulsory coronavirus vaccination for tennis pros. Wikimedia Commons

Djokovic last played in the Australian Open in January. Shortly after, Wimbledon announced its cancellation for the first time since the Second World War due to increasing coronavirus spread.

Tennis governing bodies like the WTA and ATP also suspended its tournaments, with a plan to reopen in July if the coronavirus pandemic situation improves. The French Open, which is originally scheduled for May, has been rescheduled for Sept. 20 to Oct. 4.

A decision for the U.S. Open, which is set to begin this August, is expected to be announced by June. If the league decides to proceed, spectators will likely not be allowed to watch the games in-person.

"Obviously our ambition is to run the tournament. It’s the engine that drives our organization, our governing body. Having said that, that won’t be the driving factor," Mike Dowse, the CEO of the U.S. Tennis Association, said. "The driving factor will be the health and well-being of the players, the fans and our staff.”

RELATED STORIES
Coronavirus