Tennis-Tsitsipas refuses to take the vaccine unless it becomes mandatory on tour

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stefanos Tsitsipas, the world’s third-largest, said he would only receive COVID-19 if a tennis competition became mandatory.

While the men’s ATP tour has publicly encouraged players to get vaccinated, the 23-year-old Greek is among those who still have reservations.

“No one has told me anything. No one has made vaccination mandatory,” he told reporters when asked if he would seek the vaccine by competing in the United States.

“At some point I’ll have to, I’m pretty sure of that, but so far it hasn’t been mandatory to compete, so I haven’t done it, no,” added Tsitsipas, who got his first round of the Hello Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati.

He made it to the finals of the French Open in June, but suffered a shock, the first-round exit from Wimbledon, where he told reporters that it was difficult for him to live and compete in the COVID-19 bubble.

COVID-19 has shared opinions about tennis.

World number one Novak Djokovic said in April that he hoped the COVID-19 vaccine would not become mandatory for players ’competition and has refused to answer questions about his own vaccination space.

However, 20-time Grand Slam winners Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal feel the athletes need their share to get life back to normal.

Federer said he received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in May, while Nadal said, “The only way out of this nightmare is vaccination. It is our responsibility as humans to accept it.

“I know a percentage of people suffer from side effects, but the effects of the virus are worse.

Viewers will not be allowed to participate in qualifying rounds at this month’s US Open due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) said last week.

The USTA said earlier that it would allow full fan capacity in the main part of the tournament.

(Reported by Amy Tennery, edited by Pritha Sarkar)