DUBAI, United Arab Emirates —
Novak Djokovic’s season, derailed in January when
he was deported from Australia, finally starts on Monday in Dubai with the
world’s number one insisting players in the locker room “have been positive and
welcoming” on his return.
اضافة اعلان
Djokovic missed the
chance to win a 10th
Australian Open, and 21st Grand Slam, due to the
cancellation of his visa in Melbourne and eventual deportation as a result of
not being vaccinated.
He returns to the
tour this week in the Emirates, where he will be competing for the first time
since the
Davis Cup Finals in Madrid last December.
Ahead of his
opening round against Italian wildcard
Lorenzo Musetti, Djokovic spoke to
reporters on Sunday night about how it feels to be back on the tennis circuit,
and whether there has been any negative reaction from his peers.
“So far here most
of the players that I’ve seen have been positive and welcoming. It’s nice to
see obviously. I can’t say that was the case in Australia. It was a little bit
strange. But here it’s well so far,” the 34-year-old Serb said.
Rafael Nadal, who
in Djokovic’s absence won the Australian Open, offered long-distance support.
“Vaccinated or
unvaccinated, let Novak play again,” Nadal said at a press conference ahead of
the Mexican Open, in Acapulco, where he and world number two
Daniil Medvedev are playing.
Victory in
Melbourne was Nadal’s 21st at a major, moving him one clear of Djokovic and
Roger Federer on the all-time list. Nadal said the Serb’s absence was
distorting the records.
“It will affect his
history, whether he can play or not, it will affect himself, the Grand Slams, I
don’t know what,” Nadal said, although he added that “we are talking about
small things within a world that has suffered in every way”.
Djokovic can play
in
Dubai as a coronavirus vaccine is not a requirement to enter the UAE.
The Serbian is a
five-time winner in Dubai and finally starts his season with a point to prove
and his number-one ranking under threat.
Even if he wins in
Dubai, Djokovic could lose the top spot, which he has held since February 2020,
to Medvedev.
If Djokovic defends
his status this week, his refusal to get vaccinated could cause problems and
cost him ranking points, particularly with two Masters tournaments coming up in
the US.
‘Follow the rules’
He is on the entry list at
Indian Wells from March 7 to 20, even though it
is currently restricted to vaccinated players. That is followed by the Miami
Open from March 21 to April 3.
“I just have to
follow the rules. Whatever tournament that I’m able to play, I’ll be trying to
get to that country and play the tournament,” Djokovic said Sunday.
“I really can’t
choose right now. It’s really about where I can go and play. Wherever I have an
opportunity, I’ll be using probably that opportunity and going to play because
this is what I do, it’s what I love to do still.”
There are still
three more
Grand Slam tournaments to play this year — the French Open,
Wimbledon and the US Open.
Each has potential
significance as Djokovic battles Nadal for the record.
In Mexico, Nadal
refused to be drawn on whether he, Djokovic or Federer could claim to be the
greatest of all time.
“It’s not for me to
talk about that because I’m an involved party,” Nadal said, adding that all
three “had achieved more than we would have dreamed”.
“There could be
arguments of different kinds that could give that title that you like so much
of ‘the best in history’ to anyone,” he said. “It’s a question of individual
taste.”
Djokovic is the
defending champion at
Roland Garros and the All England Club.
“We all hope that
the health crisis will evolve in a positive direction, but if that does not
change, he will need a vaccination pass and therefore Novak Djokovic will not
be with us (in Paris),” French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu told RTL
radio on Sunday.
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