MADRID, 9 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev, world number two, has confirmed on Tuesday that he will play in next year’s Australian Open, the first ‘Grand Slam’ of the season, in the middle of the debate on vaccines and after the restrictions imposed by the state of Victoria, which requires to enter proof of vaccination against coronavirus.
Medvedev, who was defeated by Novak Djokovic in the final of this year’s tournament, said Tuesday that he will not miss the first ‘big’. “See you in January in Australia,” said the Russian, confirming that he is vaccinated against COVID, a mandatory condition to compete and be able to enter Melbourne.
Medvedev appeared not to commit to vaccination against COVID-19, but will meet this requirement upon arrival in Australia. Although the Russian has confirmed his presence in Melbourne, the participation of Djokovic, nine times champion of the tournament, is not yet known.
The Serbian has shown doubts about the coronavirus vaccine, although he has not revealed whether he has been vaccinated or not. Australia has applied strict measures throughout the pandemic, and Melbourne has been under lockdown six times since March 2020. In fact, the city only lifted its most recent restrictions in late October.
Although Australia’s vaccination program is gaining momentum, non-citizen travelers must be able to provide proof of vaccination and a negative PCR test result, while quarantine regulations vary based on state rules.
According to the Australian Tennis Federation there is still hope of reaching an agreement for unvaccinated players to compete in the tournament after serving a two-week quarantine, and furthermore, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also suggested that players could receive a exemption.
On Tuesday, however, Victoria’s Prime Minister Daniel Andrews insisted that players will have to be vaccinated. “I’m not going to have people sitting in the stands who have done the right thing, just so the millionaire players who should [estar] vaccinated run around the place and essentially run a higher risk of contagion, “he said.
Djokovic, in statements last October, was not clear with his presence in the first ‘Grand Slam’ of 2022: “I do not know if I will go to Australia, I do not know what is happening. Currently, the situation is not good. Of course I want to go, Australia is my most successful ‘Grand Slam’, I want to participate, I love this sport, I still have motivation. “