Novak Djokovic had one of his best seasons in 2021, winning three Grand Slams and one Masters title. Despite missing out on a medal at the Tokyo Olympics, the Serb finished with a win-loss record of 27-1 at the Slams and managed to end the year as the World No. 1 on a record seventh occasion, surpassing his idol Pete Sampras.
However, Djokovic faced criticism and intense scrutiny when he was found to be unvaccinated against COVID-19, something that barred him from defending his title at the 2022 Australian Open.
Backing Djokovic, his former coach Becker stated that vaccination is “not relevant” when it comes to deciding the winner of the Laureus award. He further stressed that taking the COVID-19 vaccine is a “private choice” and that one should only consider the Serb’s “performance on the tennis court” while evaluating him for the award.
Becker coached Djokovic to six Grand Slam titles before the two parted ways in December 2016.
Boris Becker claims there are “no winners” in Novak Djokovic’s vaccine controversy in Australia
In the same interview, Becker revealed that there are “no winners” in Djokovic’s vaccine saga in Australia. Despite advocating for vaccination, the German emphasized that if one is not vaccinated, it should not be a “reason to persecute” them. He also pointed out that it’s a “choice” whether to get inoculated or not.
Blaming the Australian authorities for “no clear communication,” Becker hinted that the whole controversy could have been avoided if the authorities told Djokovic that he “couldn’t travel or compete” at Melbourne if he was unvaccinated.
Novak Djokovic is currently playing at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where he is eyeing a sixth title.
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