Novak Djokovic: "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. I have my own thoughts about the matter, and whether those thoughts will change at some point, I don't know.”
Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic found himself in the news this week for comments he made on a Facebook Live chat (in Serbian), that had the 17-time Grand Slam champion saying he would be against receiving a COVID-19 vaccination when the history altering vaccine becomes available.
Djokovic’s comments were obviously controversial, as the subject of anti-vaxxers is one of the world’s most contentious topics, and certainly could be snappishly received by many tennis fans across the globe.
The world’s number one player has reportedly been an advocate of ‘natural healing’ in the past, and has not publicly endorsed vaccinations.
All professional tennis events are postponed through July 13 at the moment, and the 2020 French Open – normally played in the month of May – has been rescheduled for September 20th.
Djokovic would later tell the Associated Press:
"I am no expert, but I do want to have an option to choose what's best for my body... I am keeping an open mind, and I'll continue to research this topic because it is important and it will affect all of us."