Djokovic set to be denied entry to Spanish tournament
Now Spain has joined in by suggesting that Djokovic will not be able to play there for as long as he is unvaccinated.
The challenges facing Novak Djokovic continue to mount after the Spanish government advised him to get vaccinated against Covid-19 if he wants to compete there.
On Tuesday the French government confirmed that the new vaccination pass would be mandatory for international athletes, which would prevent the men’s world No 1 from taking part at Roland Garros in May.
That would be the second consecutive grand-slam event to exclude Djokovic after his Australian visa was rejected and he was deported from Melbourne “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”.
Now Spain has joined in by suggesting that Djokovic will not be able to play there for as long as he is unvaccinated.
The 34-year-old regularly travels to Spain and owns a house in Marbella. He spent a few days there in late December and early January and video footage showed him training there.
“What Djokovic has to do is get vaccinated, that would be the most sensible thing to do,” Isabel Rodriguez, a government spokesperson told a news conference yesterday when asked whether Djokovic would be allowed to compete in Spain.
There is an ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona in April, while the more prestigious Madrid Open, which Djokovic has won three times, most recently in 2019, begins on April 26.
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.
