Bold prediction in tennis vax saga

The Victorian government’s non-negotiable expectation that players must be fully vaccinated to enter the state and play in the year’s opening grand slam has accelerated the process.

It is the first of the four grand slam tournaments to have a vaccination mandate in place.

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Tiley said Tennis Australia had never attempted to change the vaccination requirements for players.

“We have always said from the beginning that we support and follow the direction of health (officials) and the chief health officer, as well as the government,” Tiley told SEN.

“Six weeks ago only 50 per cent of the global playing group (were vaccinated), because each of them are independent contractors – they don’t have a union that dictates what they can do. They make their own decisions.

“Today more than 85 per cent are. We take a lot of credit for that, because we put a vaccination requirement on (playing in the Australian Open).

“We think by the time we get to January, it will be between 95 per cent and 100 per cent vaccinated, because if you’re not, you cannot play.

“There are one or two players that obviously have medical conditions, as there are in the community. There is a medical condition exemption but it’s a very high bar to get across.

“Everything’s exactly in line with what the health mandates are, and so it should be, because there shouldn’t be any preferential treatment for anyone coming into the state, comparative to what the regular community is going through.”

World No. 1 and nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has so far refused to publicly reveal his vaccination status, or commit to playing at Melbourne Park.

The opponent Djokovic beat in this year’s final, world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, also hasn’t declared his vaccination status but said he would compete at the grand slam.

Other top male players, such as Alex Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev, have raised vaccination concerns but have since indicated they are, or will be, vaccinated.

Zverev said last week he hoped the Victorian government would give Djokovic an exemption to be able to play at the Australian Open.

Djokovic could move into the outright lead in grand slam titles won among men and break a deadlock with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal if he plays in Melbourne.

Federer has already withdrawn from the Australian Open because of an ongoing knee injury.

“He has not shared his status with anyone,” Tiley said of Djokovic.

“He believes that what you say about your medical position and status is private and he believes people should have the right to choose.

“We have made it very clear that coming to play the Australian Open; the requirement is to be vaccinated – and approved vaccines as well.”

Tiley said he believed the crowd would treat Djokovic fairly if he did make the trip to Melbourne despite having “a view that some share and the majority don’t”.

“One thing is for sure – if Novak is here in January, we’ll know that he’s vaccinated,” he said.

“So, regardless of someone’s position; all the players will need to be – and show proof of – a vaccination, even to come into Victoria.

“We’ve got the majority of the players in that position, and that has been a journey in itself as well, because it’s not a requirement anywhere else in the world.”

Originally published as Australian Open chief executive remaining positive on tennis vaccination rates