World number one tennis player Novak Djokovic will be able to defend his Australian Open title this year after being given a medical exemption to participate.
The Australian Open has stated all players must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be given a medical exemption by an independent panel of experts. The Serb has not said if he is vaccinated, but has publicly expressed his opposition to COVID-19 vaccines. Last month his father told a Serbian TV station Djokovic would likely have to miss the Australian Open due to his vaccination status, and called the vaccination requirement “essentially blackmail.”
Organizers of the Australian Open released a statement saying, “Djokovic applied for a medical exemption which was granted following a rigorous review process involving two separate independent panels of medical experts. One of those was the Independent Medical Exemption Review Panel appointed by the Victorian Department of Health. They assessed all applications to see if they met the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization guidelines.”
Just last week, Djokovic suddenly pulled out of the ATP Cup in Sydney which began January 1. Australia has made vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory for visitors entering the country. He took to Instagram to announce his medical exemption for the Australian Open
Djokovic has won the Australian Open a record nine times and has 20 Grand Slam titles overall which ties him with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer for the most ever. Both Federer and Nadal are skipping the year’s first Grand Slam tournament due to injuries.
The Australian Open begins January 17 in Melbourne. The ATP has not commented on Djokovic’s medical exemption for the tournament.
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