Djokovic against compulsory coronavirus vaccination
Novak Djokovic has said he would be against a compulsory coronavirus vaccination if it became a requirement of tennis players to go to tournaments.
"Personally I'm against vaccination. I wouldn't like that someone forces me to obtain a vaccine in order to be in a position to travel," the world number 1 said late Sunday.
The Serbian star was speaking from Spain, where he's in lockdown along with his family, in a video conference held on his Facebook for Orthodox Easter.
"We (players) must travel. I think it will be the number one challenge," the 32-year said.
"If it (vaccination) can be compulsory what will happen? I will have to have a decision," on whether to acquire a vaccine or not, he said.
"This is my view right now. Whether it'll change I don't know."
There is currently no vaccine for the virus which has claimed some 165,000 lives around the globe, though labs all over the world are racing to develop a treatment.
Like the remaining sporting world, tennis has been on pause since early March, with the ATP and WTA Tours suspended until mid-July at the earliest and Wimbledon cancelled for the very first time since World War II.
Djokovic estimated tournaments wouldn't normally restart "before September or October".
"The growing season will officially restart when everyone will be 100 percent certain that persons can return, that there surely is no risk, that persons are resistant to the virus which takes time."
Tournaments with travel limited by one country or a region could be possible, he said.
