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Legandary tennis coach Toni Nadal believes Novak Djokovic will be forced to rethink his principles if there is a Covid-19 vaccine mandate in place to play at Roland Garros. The World No. 1 was deported from Australia ahead of the Australian Open, which started on Monday, following a saga which lasted almost two weeks.
All players competing at the Melbourne Grand Slam are required to have had a Covid-19 vaccine, unless they were given a medical exemption. Djokovic has not been vaccinated against the virus, but traveled expecting to be able to compete for a 10th Australian crown after receiving "exemption permission."
The Serb could face similar issues at this year's French Open, with France's Minister for Sports, Roxana Maracineanu, announcing on Monday that the country was preparing to introduce "vaccination passes."
Once the laws are put into effect, these passes will be required to enter all public buildings - including stadiums, theaters and lounges - for spectators and athletes. The passes are expected to be mandated for non-French sports personnel as well.
Speaking on the Onda Cero radio network, Nadal suggested he feels Djokovic is largely to blame for the situation which unfolded in Australia.
"It has surprised me that the situation has gotten to where it has gotten," Nadal said. "Djokovic could have done things in a different way. There is an unquestionable reality and that is that to play in Australia he had to get vaccinated or have an exemption."
"I start from the base that any organizer of a tournament wants to have Djokovic, it is normal, because he is a great player, he is one of the best in history," Nadal continued. "For a tournament it is very good to have his presence. I do not think it has gone against him intentionally, but that they have not given him the exemptions. That's all."
Nadal then argued that the Australian Open may not have taken place if everyone had followed the 34-year-old's decision to not have a COVID-19 jab.
"It is a debate that has transcended the world of sports about whether we vaccinate or not," added the Spaniard. "If they tell you that to play you have to comply with regulations, then you comply or not. Yes, [if] everyone would have taken Djokovic's line if he hadn't been vaccinated, maybe there wouldn't be an Australian Open. The ATP asks you to get vaccinated and the other two players who have not been vaccinated agreed not to go play."
The 60-year-old went on to claim that Djokovic - the defending French Open champion - will have to reconsider his beliefs if players also need to be vaccinated to compete at Roland Garros.
"One can have his convictions, but at a given moment you still have to rethink them when they tell you that things are going this way," Nadal said. "I suppose he will do something because if they tell him that he will not be able to play at Roland Garros either, he has a big problem. There will be no choice but to rethink his principles. Let's hope that the pandemic passes quickly, that everything returns to normal and that Djokovic can also return to normal."
Rafael Nadal's life is not going to change by winning one more Major than Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic: Toni Nadal
Toni Nadal also gave his thoughts on his nephew Rafael Nadal's attempt to win a men's record 21st Major title at the 2022 Australian Open. The Spaniard - who currently works with Canadian star Felix Auger-Aliassime - coached his nephew from childhood until 2017.
"Rafa has the same will to try to win every match," Nadal said. "Sometimes it goes well and other times there is no way to do it. It is true that winning the 'Grand Slam' is what motivates you, but life is not going to change [for] you for having one more tournament than Federer or Djokovic. When you have already made an important path, between being 20 or 21, I don't think it will change the subject much".
World No. 6 Nadal defeated German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday. The 35-year-old will face 28th seed Karen Khachanov in the third round on Friday.
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