After a dramatic turn of events that started this year's tennis season, Novak Djokovic again sets his sights for his 21st major title at the French Open. Slated to defend his title at the Grand Slam tournament, Djokovic was given the go signal by tournament officials who promised that he wouldn't have to expect the same treatment he got during the Australian Open regardless of his vaccination status.
Djokovic missed out on the first major tournament of the season after Australian officials barred him and his team from competing due to his decision to refuse vaccination for COVID-19 and being found positive on December 16th. The Australian government maintains its strict enforcement of vaccination rules for foreigners entering the country, including players who participated in the Australian Open.
As Rafael Nadal broke the three-way tie that saw him, Djokovic and Roger Federer caught on a stalemate at 20 major titles each at the end of the 2021 season; the embattled world number 1 saw himself in a different court against Australian immigration officials. With all of his appeals to play exhausted and a possible three-year ban from the tournament up for review, the champion had no choice but to sit out the first grand slam of 2022.
The race for world number 1
Based on his recent statement regarding the Australian Open incident, It's easy to think that Djokovic is prepared to continue his pursuit for tennis glory and perhaps, earn the 'greatest of all time' title starting with the 2022 Dubai Tennis Championships this month.
Before his next tournament, which opens on February 21st, Djokovic ups the ante on his training routines at the Mouratoglou Tennis Center Jumeirah since he landed in Dubai. And many can tell he feels right at home.
As a five-time champion of the tournament, Djokovic is this year's top seed and looks to inch his way past Federer's record of eight titles. More important is how the world number 1 can maintain the top spot at the ATP ranking should he lose his bid at the championship. If world number 2 Daniil Medvedev succeeds in capturing the title at the Mexican Open, he might swipe the top spot from Djokovic, regardless of whether or not the latter wins in Dubai.
Is he setting his sights for 21?
For the French Open, which starts on May 22nd, the French Tennis Federation is preparing its ATP statement. According to insiders, a document might circulate soon to inform players that the French government will pass legislation prohibiting unvaccinated foreign athletes from participating in any sporting event. That is, if they can secure a valid medical exemption. This move would be surprising, considering French president Emmanuel Macron's strict stance on vaccination rules.
Whether the news about the French Open's vaccination leniency reignites past nightmares for Djokovic or otherwise, it is still not clear whether the champion is eyeing his 21st title this May. Recently, Djokovic told the press that he is willing to skip this year's French Open and even Wimbledon if vaccination rules do not change to allow unvaccinated players to play.
Aside from earning a torrent of backlash from both fans and players alike for refusing to be vaccinated, Djokovic's statements are fueling anti-vaccination propaganda among his countrymen in Serbia. According to journalist Marija Vucic, conspiracy theories among Serbians about the dangers and evils of COVID-19 vaccines are becoming daily fodder for news outlets in the country.
While it's clear that Djokovic is being too careful with how medicines enter his body, it's pretty ironic that he has to maintain the purity of his physical prowess by turning his back on the general public's views on health. What's clear is that his continuing resistance against being vaccinated lowers his rank as the public's choice for being the greatest of all time.
Being clear about vaccines
For the world number 1's part, he has cleared the air about his stance against vaccines by telling the press that he was not in any way an anti-vaxxer. After all, many know that Djokovic is an avid fan of alternative medical treatments, even regretting an elbow procedure he underwent a few years back.
During his hearings in Australia, reports say that he did not get the vaccine due to his previous infection in December. He stated that doctors advised him to wait until it was safe to receive them, which on average was two weeks after receiving a negative COVID-19 test. However, we now know that those weren't true, considering that he had all the chances in the world to at least get one jab in after the Australian Open, and yet he hasn't.
In more recent interviews, Djokovic stated that he acknowledges global efforts to keep COVID-19 at bay with vaccines and that he is all for ending it. He also said he is keeping an open mind about being vaccinated, but remains conscious about tampering with his metabolism by saying he would like to empower his body to defend itself from such viruses as COVID-19.
For some of his co-players, the world number 1's unpopular opinion was met with a mix of reactions. Nadal said that "justice has spoken" after a Melbourne judge initially gave the green light for Djokovic to stay in Australia, only to revoke it again later.
Meanwhile, Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece said that Djokovic was daring to put the chance for a grand slam title at risk, which many players will certainly not do.
In last year's French Open, Djokovic defeated tournament favorite Rafael Nadal in the semi-final, then faced current world number 4 Tsitsipas for the title in a grueling five-set match. Djokovic emerged the winner of the finals match via a 6–7(6–8), 2–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–4 win to capture his second title at Roland-Garros. He currently holds the record for most major titles at the Australian Open, with nine so far.
As for the elusive 21st grand slam title, only the embattled champion can gauge the likelihood of which tournament or year that could materialize.
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