Novak Djokovic is currently the world #1 in tennis. He just won the Australian Open in January, which will likely be the only Slam played this year. When he won AO, that was his 17th Slam – we’re coming up on the GOAT records of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. I’m not sure people would have predicted Novak’s career resurgence back in 2017, when he had a nagging elbow injury, an injury he refused to have surgery on. He tried fixing his elbow with rest and through holistic medicine. It didn’t work. Finally, he had surgery in 2018. I bring this up because it’s a minor talking point with Novak, that he seems to eschew Western medicine in favor of holistic Goop-type crap. Don’t believe me? Go back and review his story about how he was “diagnosed” with his gluten allergy (it involved holding a piece of bread against his stomach). So… is it really surprising to learn that Novak is lowkey anti-vaccine? For real.
Novak Djokovic faces a dilemma if it becomes compulsory for players to get vaccinated before they can begin competing once the tennis season resumes following the hiatus created by the coronavirus pandemic, the world No. 1 said on Sunday.
“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,” Djokovic said in a live Facebook chat with several fellow Serbian athletes. “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. Hypothetically, if the season was to resume in July, August or September, though unlikely, I understand that a vaccine will become a requirement straight after we are out of strict quarantine and there is no vaccine yet.”
Medical experts have said that vaccines against the respiratory virus would not be ready until next year, raising doubts whether any further tennis tournaments can be contested this year.
Yeah, several things are a pipe dream all at once: the idea that we could get access to an affordable vaccine within the next year, the idea that the tennis tour (or any professional sports) could start up this summer without major adjustments, and the idea that professional athletes would be in the position to refuse a vaccine. Even when we do get an affordable and effective vaccine, there will be people out there shunning it and turning this into the new anti-vaxx cause du jour? Jesus Christ, how stupid. I honestly thought Novak wasn’t *this* f–king wacky.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
And the Tennis Association will be like, ‘Well, we can replace you’.
You’d think the fact that since his holistic approaches didn’t heal him before that he’d be a bit more into that wacky science and medicine all the hip youths are talking about. 😉
Now more than ever we need to have people on board with science. It terrifies me the amount of people out there who just don’t care and don’t want to educate themselves. They just want to believe whatever BS they’re presented and to feel somehow superior for being a ‘rebel’ or whatever.
I just saw this headline and was seriously bummed about it. I quite like him, both as a player and off the tennis court, so it’s a let down to know he adheres to these views 🙁
I agree with everything you say. I like him… He and Murray are my two favorite players. So this is disappointing for me to read.
Many countries require proof of vaccination to enter the country. Guess he has never traveled beyond tennis tournaments.
I have traveled the world and never once have I had to prove my vaccination history
NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭
Sooo disappointed. But, I have to remind myself, as much as I love tennis, they are all odd and a bit up their own butts. Except for Andy Murray, I will die on that one 🙂
Andy is “normal” but grumpy AF
Nah, Andy isn’t grumpy. He is “dour”. Not “dower”, but “doo-errr”.
AnnaKist – thank you for your proper pronunciation!
I am so embarrassed for him. Especially because we from the Balkan countries have such a strong vaccine culture, it’s mandatory!
Imagine being anti vaccination at a time like this….
the antivaxx crowd is out front & center at those stupid liberate the state protests
The average person understands there are anti-vaxxers but have a somewhat out of sight -out of mind attitude towards them because for example polio is a far removed disease. Most of us were not alive for when there was Major outbreaks of this disease before vaccines.
But we are all for Covid19. When the anti vaxxers don’t want this vaccine I believe they will be in for the fight of their life and will come to know the meaning of shunning.
Now, of all times. What a dimwit.
Fine. If you get sick, well – best of luck to you.
People having the stupidity to be spouting off about vaccines in the midst of a pandemic are on their own – if they get sick, they get to weather it on their own and hope for the best. They are officially no longer entitled to medical care related to COVID19. We need to save it for people aren’t being foolish, arrogant selfish assholes.
I’m done trying to be the bigger person with these morons.
Who would want to work with, play against, coach, train or treat someone who has not been vaccinated against a highly infectious disease?
Idiot.
Oh this is *definitely* the level of wackiness I expected from him. Pepe, the serene-faced “guru” who was a constant in Djoker’s player box, is not that distant of a memory…
He is an amazing player. Big fan. Thanks for sharing.
Dude, we don’t care. We all need to stop even asking celebs with no background in science about this.
The timing though. It’s impeccable. I’m fascinated by people’s hardcore resistance to learning. To expert advice. Go play with you balls, booboo.
No, we do need to ask. Not for their advice though. If anything it outs these clowns for the douchebags that they are.
People listen to these fools. It’s not about outing them, it’s about not giving famous people a platform to spew uninformed crap. I like knowing about the idiots, too, but at what cost?
What a dumbass.
I hope any organization like this is very strict with requiring the vaccination, and those who opt out, oh well, you don’t get to play.
He broke my heart! Anti vaxxers are dangerous, more so at this time.
Honestly, this and Tsitsipas behaviour during the pandemic has showed me that the bubble tennis players live in is bigger than I thought.
In case anyone is interested, Tsitsipas continued travelling and training as if nothing was happening. He even posted on instagram stories videos of him being surprised that the locker room was empty! When people called him out, he didn’t get it and wrote a note telling people they shouldn’t be worried about HIM. No one cares about you, Stephanos.
I know profesional athletes are still training, but isolated.
I am just…amazed…no angry that a athlete of his caliber is saying this.
I mean, no.
This is gross. Just selfish, self absorbed, and really f**king gross. I have lost all respect for him and any other anti-vaxxer. I genuinely do not believe they should be allowed in any public space (bars, parks, restaurants, schools) where they could expose their moronic views to immunosuppressed people. You want to skip vaccines because Sarah sneezed after one? Fine. Stay home forever you won’t be missed.
I used to admire this d!ckhead for his work ethic and athleticism. Then I heard his comments about equal prize money for women players and was disappointed. Then I heard rumors that he’s a douche who hangs around with his douchey “Serbian-bro” squad and I decided I don’t like him after all. Now I think I’m going to have to actively dislike him. Andy Murray for best male player, whether he’s playing or not!
Well I’m opposed to him and hopes his losing streak starts
Thousands of people are dying because we lack one vaccine. His comments are so irresponsible. I just can’t….
As a major tennis fan, this is so disappointing. Rafa is my main man but I have a soft spot for Novak. I hope someone educates him.
It’s not for lack of people trying to educate him, I’m sure. He has a lousy attitude and he’s stupid about health science. Unfortunately, people will go along with what he says because he’s good at tennis.
He always gave me the douch bag vibes. Turns out he is one. In a major way.
To Novak Djokovic:
One day, there will be a vaccination for covid 19. Millions of people will get this vaccination. We will develop herd immunity. Years and years from now, people (who were not part of this pandemic or directly after it), will discount the vaccination because of flawed thinking and the luxury of not having lived through the horror. Big arrogant mistake.
[*This is the stupidity of anti-vaxxers.*]
Brain is a muscle that needs to be trained just like any other. Some people have intelligence, some don’t. Novak is a talented tennis player, but actually silly, uneducated and not the brightest man around. Makes me cringe now to see him holding poor African kids.