Stefanos Tsitsipas Says Novak Djokovic Makes Vaccinated Players Look Like Fools

Stefanos Tsitsipas has hit out against Novak Djokovic ahead of the Australian Open getting underway.

The world number four male tennis player has slammed the man on the top of the ladder for refusing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Djokovic was granted a medical exemption to come to Australia and play in the Grand Slam, where he's hoping to notch his 10th title Down Under.

His legal team said he would have enough protection against the pandemic because he contracted the virus in mid-December.

However, Tsitsipas believes all the drama surrounding Djokovic shows how there are rules for some and rules for others.

"The stats say 98 per cent of players have been vaccinated and did what they had to do in order to come and perform and play in Australia," Tsitsipas told Indian network WIO News.

"One side of it is, yeah we've all followed the protocols in order to compete in Australia, we've been very disciplined in that part.

"The other side, I'd say that it kind of seems like not everyone is playing by the rules of how Tennis Australia and the government have been putting things.

"A very small group chose to follow their own way and it kind of makes the majority look like they're all fools or something."

According to News Corp, Tsitsipas was originally hesitant himself in getting the coronavirus vaccine.

The Greek tennis player eventually ended up getting the one-dose Johnson & Johnson jab because it was 'necessary for me to be in Australia'.

While he might have initially held off getting the vaccine, he respected that it was important for him to do it.

That's why he's hit out against Novak for not following along with everyone else.

"For sure he has been playing by his own rules and has been doing something that not many players had the guts to go and do, especially after the ATP announced certain criteria for players to enter the country," he said.

"No one would have really thought I could come to Australia unvaccinated and not having to follow the protocols that they gave me, which takes a lot of daring to do, and putting a Grand Slam at risk. I don't think many players could do that.

"I chose to go and be 100 per cent ready for whatever was to come and not having to think about anything else.

"For me, it worked one way, for Novak, it worked another way. That doesn't really mean that my way is the right one and his way is the wrong one, it's just each person's perception about it."

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: SPORT, News, Australian Open, Novak Djokovic