Rafael Nadal has said he felt sorry that Novak Djokovic was denied entry into Australia, but there his sympathy ended, as the Spaniard pointedly added that if players were vaccinated, they could play in the Australian Open.
Nadal, who revealed he was fully vaccinated when he contracted Covid recently, said that the world No 1 had known for months he could potentially face problems if he arrived in Australia without being vaccinated against Covid-19.
Djokovic, 34, is set to spend the weekend in detention in hotel quarantine after his appeal against his visa cancellation was adjourned until Monday. He was detained by officials at the border on Thursday for several hours before his visa was revoked amid a storm of protest about the decision to grant him a medical exemption from vaccination requirements to play in the Australian Open.
The Serbian, who has won nine Australian Opens including the last three and is tied with Nadal and Roger Federer on 20 career grand slam titles, is now holed up as his lawyers contest the federal government’s entry ban.
“In some way, I feel sorry for him but he knew the conditions months ago,” Nadal said after making a successful comeback to action with a straight-sets win at the Melbourne Summer Set. “I don’t encourage nobody. Everyone has to do what they feel is good for them but there are rules and without the vaccine there can be some troubles. He’s free to take his own position, but then there are consequences.
“Of course what’s happening is not good for Novak, in my opinion,” the Spaniard added. “[But] if you are vaccinated, you can play in the Australian Open. We have been going through very challenging [time]. A lot of families have been suffering in the last three years. It’s normal that people here in Australia get very frustrated with the case because they have been going through all of very hard times.
“A lot of people were not able to come back home, so from my point of view I believe in what the people who know about medicine say. If the people say we need to get vaccinated, we need to get the vaccine. If you do this, you don’t have any problem to play here.”
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The 35-year-old Nadal tested positive for Covid last month after playing at an exhibition in Abu Dhabi. The Spaniard said he experienced a “very challenging” few days.
Daniil Medvedev, the world No 2 said that, should Djokovic be prevented from competing at Melbourne Park, the men’s draw would open up. “There is still Rafa [but] the rest of us don’t have a lot of slams, for sure,” said the Russian, who won his first major at last year’s US Open. “When somebody wins it nine times, he’s not there, the draw opens up a little bit. There is no secret in it.”
Djokovic, who has publicly criticised mandatory vaccines, has refused to disclose his inoculation status and said he has been granted a medical exemption to compete in Australia although it appears the exemption was not recognised by the Australian Border Force.
