The year of Djokovic's troubles: vaccines, COVID, coup against the ATP, expulsion from the US Open …

No one could imagine that 2020, a year that started out great for Novak Djokovic, with his Australian Open and Dubai titles and a streak of consecutive wins that has stopped at 26, could go wrong. so abruptly with his expulsion from the US Open for inadvertently but improperly hitting a lineswoman. Although it can actually be said that the Serbian's ills had begun earlier and that, definitely, the coronavirus pandemic has not done him well.

Against vaccination

During the break, Djokovic entertained himself by holding video conversations, on public occasions, with other players, athletes and various characters from his rich inner world, which includes meditation, veganism, holistics and an opinion against vaccination., whose exposure brought him not a few criticisms both in the tennis environment and outside it. Once the confinement was over, Nole broke the rules in Marbella to train at the Puente Romano Club, whose officials apologized for allowing that session due to a misinterpretation of government restrictions. The Balkan published it, proud, on the networks and took more sticks.

Adria Tour and COVID

Then, in June, the box of thunder was uncovered with his return to Serbia. There, in a country that had not been as affected as others by COVID-19, Novak distributed hugs piecemeal, he got together with other athletes at various events and went to parties before putting on a disastrous charity tour called Adria Tour. With the public in the stands, without masks or other precautions, Djokovic uncovered himself and the brown mess, because he had been infected, probably during the tribute to a basketball coach, and he was able to transmit the virus to eight other people: his wife and his physical trainer, Grigor Dimitrov and his coach, Borna Coric, Viktor Troicki and his wife and Goran Ivanisevic.

New Players Association

Rather than fully focus on his return to the circuit, which took place successfully at the Cincinnati Masters 1,000, where he lifted his third title of the course, Djokovic spent energy launching and announcing the creation of a new players association., the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), on the sidelines of the ATP (it has left the presidency of the players' council) and criticized by all tennis governing bodies, as well as by two of its great stars, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer . Some, like the Russian Rublev, say that he does not have much support, although the one from Belgrade also wants to ally with women and already has the approval of Serena Williams.

Expulsion at the US Open

And on Sunday his moment arrived, without a doubt, more bitter, with that disqualification in New York that keeps him with 17 Grand Slam titles and leaves him, for the moment, unable to close the gap with Nadal (19) and Federer (20) . Without the crowd that often bothered him in the stands at Arthur Ashe, he lost his temper like so many times in his career, especially a few years ago, before he took refuge in meditation, yoga and other control techniques, acceptance and relaxation. He is sorry and on social media he said he expected “turn all this into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and a human being”. Your next steps will have to be followed carefully. He will probably be seen again shortly, in Rome, and then at Roland Garros if there are no surprises.