Novak Djokovic clarifies vaccination stance after being 'declared villain of the world'
Novak Djokovic has come a long way since he was unable to enter some tournaments after refusing the coronavirus vaccine - a decision he says he was vilified for
Tennis legend Novak Djokovic clarified his status on the coronavirus vaccine after refusing to get the jab. The Serbian has hit the headlines for more than just his results on the court in recent years due to his refusal to take the covid-19 vaccine.
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This ultimately saw him deported from Australia in January of that year and he was unable to compete at the Australian Open. His stance on the vaccine also forced him to miss tournaments in America for that entire season and the early stages of 2023.
The US did not allow non-American citizens into the country if they had not been vaccinated against coronavirus, but the mandate was lifted this past summer which allowed Djokovic to compete at the Cincinnati Masters and US Open, both of which he won. But his reduced 2022 season took a toll on the 36-year-old from a mental standpoint and claimed he was made to be a villain by large sections of the public as he reiterated his thoughts on the coronavirus jab.
“People tried to, you know, declare me as an anti-vax,” he told CBS News. “I'm not anti-vax. Nor I am pro-vax. I'm, I'm, I'm pro-freedom to choose.” He added: “It did. I was basically declared as a villain of the world, you know. I had basically, yeah, most of the world against me.
“I had that kind of experience on the tennis court, with crowds that were not maybe cheering me on. But I never had this particular experience before in my life. I got the exemption. I got permission to come into the country. And so, of course, it escalated to the highest of the highest levels globally.”
With only two Grand Slam appearances in 2022, Djokovic still managed to win Wimbledon, defeating Nick Kyrgios in the final. Upon returning to a full schedule in 2023, he produced another excellent season in which he made every major final and won three of them.
He also claimed his seventh ATP Finals title, passed 400 total weeks at No. 1, and finished the season as the top-ranked player for the eighth time. The younger players on the tour were faced with the task of trying to dethrone the Serbian, especially at the biggest tournaments.
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But only 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz managed that at the majors this year when he outlasted Djokovic in five compelling sets to win Wimbledon. Jannick Sinner recorded his first two wins over the World No. 1 in the round-robin stages of the ATP Finals and in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup.
They will be determined to secure some more wins over the tennis legend and try to knock him off the summit of the men’s rankings, but Djokovic is more determined than ever to continue his dominance. "The young guys who are very hungry and very inspired to play their best tennis against me is an additional motivation," he said. "I think they kind of awaken a beast in me."
