Novak Djokovic Biographer Reckons Tennis Star Will Get Vaccinated

Novak Djokovic's biographer reckons the tennis star will get vaccinated after seeing Rafael Nadal win the Australian Open.

It was the Spaniard's 21st Grand Slam title, which put him in front of Roger Federer and Djokovic to be the most decorated male tennis player of all time.

Novak was forced to watch the tournament from outside Australia after he was deported for not being vaccinated.

However, his previous objection to getting the jab could be waning.

Djokovic's biographer Daniel Muksch, who wrote the book A Lifetime of War about the Serbian star's life, reckons Djokovic is desperate to compete again that he's willing to backflip on his initial vaccine stance.

"From what I have heard from those around him, I think he is getting vaccinated," Muksch said on Austrian network Servus TV.

"Maybe the final in Melbourne also contributed to that. Rafael Nadal's 21 is driving him, no question."

Not only did he miss on the Australian Open, but Djokovic's chances of competing in other Grand Slams are up in the air.

French Open and Wimbledon officials are still standing firm on their stance regarding vaccinated players.

To put it simply: if you're not vaxxed, you don't play.

For Djokovic, though, he has never shied away from voicing his concerns with vaccines in the past.

"My issue here with vaccines is if someone is forcing me to put something in my body. That I don't want. For me that's unacceptable," he told the New York Times back in 2020.

"I am not against vaccination of any kind, because who am I to speak about vaccines when there are people that have been in the field of medicine and saving lives around the world?

"I'm sure that there are vaccines that have little side effects that have helped people and helped stop the spread of some infections around the world.

"How are we expecting that to solve our problem when this coronavirus is mutating regularly from what I understand?"

Then, of course, there was his Adria Tour, which he launched during the middle of the pandemic, which resulted in a number of high-profile players contracting the virus.

There have been a number of incidents within the space of a few years, ranging from controversial vaccine exemptions, alleged Covid breaches, maskless public appearances and various cryptic statements.

But now, only after witnessing one of his biggest rivals etch his name into tennis' record books, Djokovic could be willing to get the vaccine so he can play.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: SPORT, Novak Djokovic

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie