Rafael Nadal Rips Into Novak Djokovic For Not Getting Covid-19 Vaccination For Aus Open
Djokovic's longtime professional rival praised Australia for booting the world number one.
Rafael Nadal has praised Australian authorities for choosing to boot Novak Djokovic from the country.
The Serbian world number one player had his visa cancelled by Australian Border Force after it was revealed he didn't have the proper evidence to back up his medical exemption.
Djokovic claimed he was medically exempt from getting a coronavirus vaccine and thought he was free to play in this month's Australian Open.
However, Aussie officials have sent him to a quarantine hotel while they work out when to send him home.
It's sparked a load of reactions on both sides of the debate, however the tennis star's longtime Spanish rival reckons it's a bloody good thing.
Rafael said following a warm-up match: "It seems a rough situation.
"At the end of the day the only thing that I can say is we have been going through very challenging times and a lot of families have been suffering a lot during the last two years with the pandemic.
"I mean, it's normal that the people here in Australia get very frustrated with the case because they have been going through a lot of very hard lockdowns and a lot of people were not able to come back home.
"From my point of view, that's the only thing that I can say is I believe in what the people who knows about medicine says, and if the people says that we need to get vaccinated, we need to get the vaccine.
"I went through Covid. I have been vaccinated twice. If you do this you don't have any problem to play here. That's the only clear thing.
"The only clear thing is if you are vaccinated, you can play in the Australian Open and everywhere, and the world in my opinion has been suffering enough to not follow the rules."
Nadal revealed he feels some sympathy towards Djokovic, however, he ultimately has no one else to blame but himself.
"I think if he wanted, he would be playing here in Australia without a problem," he said.
"He went through another - he made his own decisions and everybody is free to take their own decisions, but then there are some consequences.
"Of course, I don't like the situation that is happening.
"In some way I feel sorry for him but at the same time he knew the conditions since a lot of months ago, so he has made his own decision."
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Australia
Stewart Perrie