Match Points: "No one would have thought that the Grand Slams race will be determined by Djokovic's vaccination status"
- 2 years ago
The fallout continues from Novak Djokovic’s announcement that he will not be getting vaccinated against Covid-19.
The Match Points panel – Marion Bartoli, Carole Bouchard and Simon Cambers – were unsurprised by his decision.
Having said that, Bartoli admitted that she thought he might have changed his mind after the fiasco that unfolded in Australia.
“I just can’t believe that he’s taking the risk and he’s willing to take the risk,” she said, adding that she thought he would change his mind after having been deported from Australia ahead of the Australian Open. “But he has taken a decision and we all have to respect it.”
Bouchard called for the ATP to make some kind of statement on the entire situation, which would enable tennis in general and Djokovic in particular to move on from the chaos that ensued in Melbourne before the year’s first Grand Slam.
And Cambers highlighted that the Serbian is the only man in the top 100 to refuse a Covid-19 vaccination, according to the ATP’s statistics.
“He says maybe he’ll take the vaccine in the future – but I’m not sure I believe him, because he’s gone this far without taking it,” he said.
KEY MOMENTS
0.11: Marion Bartoli is surprised by Novak Djokovic’s decision to remain unvaccinated.
0.42: The panel agreed that this announcement is typical of Djokovic’s personality – with Bartoli describing it as “exactly like Novak”.
1.09: “We know Novak – when he believes in something, he is stubborn about it,” said journalist Carole Bouchard.
1.15: The ATP as an organisation need to make a statement about Djokovic, vaccination policies, and what happened at the Australian Open, said Bouchard. This is necessary in order that everyone may move forward.
1.40: Djokovic is unlikely to change his mind about vaccination at this point, said journalist Simon Cambers.
1.51: 99 of the top 100 men in the world have been vaccinated, said Cambers, with Djokovic the only hold-out.
The Match Points panel – Marion Bartoli, Carole Bouchard and Simon Cambers – were unsurprised by his decision.
Having said that, Bartoli admitted that she thought he might have changed his mind after the fiasco that unfolded in Australia.
“I just can’t believe that he’s taking the risk and he’s willing to take the risk,” she said, adding that she thought he would change his mind after having been deported from Australia ahead of the Australian Open. “But he has taken a decision and we all have to respect it.”
Bouchard called for the ATP to make some kind of statement on the entire situation, which would enable tennis in general and Djokovic in particular to move on from the chaos that ensued in Melbourne before the year’s first Grand Slam.
And Cambers highlighted that the Serbian is the only man in the top 100 to refuse a Covid-19 vaccination, according to the ATP’s statistics.
“He says maybe he’ll take the vaccine in the future – but I’m not sure I believe him, because he’s gone this far without taking it,” he said.
KEY MOMENTS
0.11: Marion Bartoli is surprised by Novak Djokovic’s decision to remain unvaccinated.
0.42: The panel agreed that this announcement is typical of Djokovic’s personality – with Bartoli describing it as “exactly like Novak”.
1.09: “We know Novak – when he believes in something, he is stubborn about it,” said journalist Carole Bouchard.
1.15: The ATP as an organisation need to make a statement about Djokovic, vaccination policies, and what happened at the Australian Open, said Bouchard. This is necessary in order that everyone may move forward.
1.40: Djokovic is unlikely to change his mind about vaccination at this point, said journalist Simon Cambers.
1.51: 99 of the top 100 men in the world have been vaccinated, said Cambers, with Djokovic the only hold-out.