Djokovic set to be denied entry to French Open
After being denied the opportunity to defend his title at the Australian Open, the same could happen at Roland Garros in May for Djokovic
Tennis star Novak Djokovic faces the prospect of being denied entry to the French Open after the government confirmed that the new vaccination pass will be mandatory for international athletes.
The world No 1 arrived back in Serbia on Monday after being deported from Australia “on health and good order grounds” for his anti-vaccination stance.
He is banned from the country for three years, although the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, has left open the door for a reprieve under the “right circumstances”.
Unless Djokovic, 34, makes a U-turn in the coming months and decides to receive a Covid-19 jab, he is likely to miss a second consecutive grand-slam tournament.
After being denied the opportunity to defend his title at the Australian Open, the same could happen at Roland Garros in May after France’s parliament approved the introduction of a vaccination certificate to enter public venues.
French Open organisers had claimed on Sunday that discussions were taking place regarding an exemption process for unvaccinated competitors, but this no longer seems a possibility after comments from the sports ministry.
“The rule is simple,” a spokesperson said. “The vaccine pass will be imposed, as soon as the law is promulgated, in establishments that were already subject to the health pass. This will apply to everyone who is a spectator or a professional sportsperson. And this is until further notice.
“Now, as far as Roland Garros is concerned, it’s in May. The situation may change between now and then and we hope that it will be more favourable. So we’ll see, but clearly there’s no exemption.”
This is a further blow for Djokovic, who is chasing a record 21st grand-slam men’s singles title. He is level at present with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20, and now may not have the opportunity to win another major trophy until Wimbledon.
As it stands, he will be eligible to compete at the All England Club in June because protocols in the United Kingdom allow unvaccinated international athletes to “leave accommodation to travel directly to any specified event” during an initial quarantine period of five days.
The controversy surrounding Djokovic has prompted some concern from one of his main sponsors. The French clothing brand Lacoste confirmed that they seek clarification from Djokovic on the circumstances surrounding his disastrous trip down under. His existing contract up until 2025 is believed to be worth more than £5 million a year.
