The world number 1 is back on the courts. Novak Djokovic did not hide his satisfaction at reconnecting with tennis in Dubai, after the pitiful soap opera of the Australian Open, a country from which he had been expelled for refusing to be vaccinated against Covid-19. “I look forward to returning to play on Monday. I miss tennis after all that has happened,” the Serbian player told reporters on Thursday during a visit to his country’s pavilion at the World Expo in Dubai.
His refusal to be vaccinated caused him to miss the Australian Open in January, making international headlines and allowing the Spaniard Rafael Nadal to raise the record for Grand Slam titles for men to 21, a better than Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. Djokovic is taking part in the Dubai ATP 500 tournament to be held from Monday in the wealthy Gulf emirate, where the anti-covid vaccine is not compulsory.
In an interview with the British television channel BBC, he said he was “ready to pay the price” for his convictions against the vaccine by giving up the Roland-Garros and Wimbledon tournaments if necessary. “The principles that lead to decision-making about my body are more important than a title or anything,” he said on Tuesday.
Expelled from Australia, Novak Djokovic had stopped in Dubai after failing to convince the Australian justice to accept his appeal against the cancellation of his visa by the government, on the eve of the opening of the Australian Open where he dreamed of a record 21st Grand Slam title.