Russia would welcome an unvaccinated Djokovic, Tennis Exec says

Russia would welcome Novak Djokovic to its tournaments in St. Petersburg and Moscow, tennis director said Sunday after Australia expelled the No. 1 star for its coronavirus vaccination demands.

Alexander Medvedev, director of the General Tournament of the Russian Federation of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in Russia, criticized the lack of independence of the judiciary after an Australian court rejected Djokovic’s attempt to defend his Australian Open championship and win a record 21st Grand Slam tournament.

“I know Novak personally, I want to express my support for him and say that we are happy to see him in our tournaments in Russia,” Medvedev told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.

“It is a very sad and offensive case,” added Medvedev, who also serves as chairman of the St. Petersburg Women’s Tennis Association and the city’s Zenit football club as director of Russian gas giant Gazprom.

“The man did not commit any crimes and has spent several days in cattle … Where is the independence of the judiciary?”

The Australian Open began on Monday overshadowed by a controversy over unvaccinated Serbia.

Djokovic flew to Melbourne last week, demanding release from the vaccine due to a positive PCR test result on 16 December.

The Australian government revoked Djokovic’s visa and placed him in an immigrant detention hotel.

The judge overturned the case, but the government then tore up Djokovic’s visa a second time, triggering a Sunday court hearing that he lost in tennis.

The world’s No. 1 men’s tennis landed in Dubai on Monday after losing its high-stakes legal battle vaccination status.

Djokovic is not published his Covid-19 vaccination station, but has previously expressed opposition to the vaccines.

AFP participated in the reporting.