World No. 1 men’s singles tennis player
Novak Djokovic is unlikely to play at the Australian Open 2022 if the
organisers do not tweak the COVID-19 vaccination rules, said his father Srdan
Djokovic on Sunday.

Craig Tiley, the director of the Australian Open, the
first Grand Slam of the season, on Saturday said that only players
vaccinated against COVID-19 will have the right to play at Melbourne Park.

Also Read: We’ll see: Novak Djokovic on his Australian Open participation amid vaccine mandate

The Serbian tennis star, Djokovic has so
far refused to disclose his vaccination status and his father Srdan Djokovic said
that the host of the Australian Open, Tennis Australia, wants to know the
players’ vaccination status in order to “blackmail” them.

“As far as vaccines and non-vaccines are
concerned, it is the personal right of each of us whether we will be vaccinated
or not. No one has the right to enter into our intimacy, it is guaranteed by
the constitution. Everyone has the right to decide on their health. Whether he
is vaccinated or not, that is his exclusive right. Will he publish it, I don’t
think so. I don’t know that decision either, and if I did, I wouldn’t share it
with you. He has the right to decide as he wants,” Srdjan Djokovic was
quoted as saying by news website B92.

“Under these blackmails and conditions,
(Djokovic) probably won’t (play). I wouldn’t do that. And he’s my son, so you
decide for yourself,” he added.

Srdjan questions Tiley’s recognised vaccine remark

Srdjan Djokovic has also shed light on a
slightly deeper story about Australia and vaccination, as well as the words of
the director of the Australian Open, Craig Tiley, that players vaccinated only
with recognised vaccines will participate.

“What is a recognized vaccine, Mr.
Craig? Russian vaccine is not a recognized vaccine? According to our criteria,
only Chinese and Russian are recognized. The libertarian world has 90 percent
of the world’s population. For us, it is Russian and Chinese. Recognize them
along with your vaccine. I don’t think that’s right, because you don’t
recognize Russian and Chinese,” Srdjan stated.

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Djokovic, who has won 20 Grand Slams,
including nine at the Australian Open, is the defending champion of the
Australian Open. He is currently at par with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on
the all-time Grand Slam record list.

Nadal, meanwhile, has confirmed he will
play at Melbourne Park in January but Federer will miss the tournament as he
recovers from another knee surgery.

The Australian Open will start on January
17.