Spaniard Rafael Nadal empathises with Novak as he is denied entry to Australia, but insists Serbian World No. 1 must face consequences of his vaccine decision
Novak Djokovic. Pic/Getty Images
Rafael Nadal had little sympathy for long-time rival Novak Djokovic, saying on Thursday that he must face the consequences for not being vaccinated against
COVID-19.
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The World No.1 was stopped by border officials on arrival to Australia late on Wednesday and his visa was cancelled for failing to meet COVID vaccine-entry requirements.
Rafael Nadal. Pic/AFP
He faces deportation, but has launched a court challenge to stay in the country and play at this month’s Australian Open where both he and Nadal would be chasing a record 21st Grand Slam title.
‘A lot of people are dying’
Nadal contracted COVID-19 last month and said he was a big believer in getting vaccinated to stem a pandemic in which “a lot of people had been dying.”
“I went through the COVID-19, I have been vaccinated twice. If you do this, you don’t have any problem to play here. That’s the only clear thing,” he said in Melbourne after winning his first singles match on the ATP Tour since August.
“The only clear thing for me is if you are vaccinated, you can play in the Australian Open and everywhere, and the world in my opinion have been suffering enough to not follow the rules.
“Of course I don’t like the situation that is happening. In some way I feel sorry for him. But at the same time, he knew the conditions since a lot of months ago, so he makes his own decision.”
Djoko’s decision
“He made his own decisions, and everybody is free to take their own decisions, but then there are some consequences,” he added of Djokovic. Djokovic had claimed on Instagram this week that he had obtained an exemption to play in the Australian Open without being vaccinated.
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