Novak Djokovic's dreams of 21st Grand Slam under threat as France announces mandatory vaccination

Days after being deported from Australia, Novak Djokovic's hopes of winning his 21st Grand Slam have been dealt another blow by news coming out of France. France's Minister for Sports, Roxana Maracineanu, announced on Monday that the country was gearing up to introduce "vaccination passes."

Once the laws are put into effect, these passes will be mandatory to enter all public buildings, including stadiums, theaters and lounges, for spectators and athletes alike. The passes are expected to be mandated for non-French sports personnel as well.

"The vaccination pass has been adopted," the minister announced on Twitter. "As soon as the law is promulgated, it will become mandatory to enter public buildings already subject to the health pass (stadium, theater or lounge) for all spectators, practitioners, French or foreign professionals."

Maracineanu stated that the country will ensure sporting events are protected during the pandemic. She added that France would recommend similar measures be implemented internationally.

"Thank you to the sports movement for the work of conviction with the last rare unvaccinated," the minister wrote. "We will work together to preserve the competitions and to be the ambassadors of these measures at the international level."

The Sports Minister's announcement comes a week after she had assured Djokovic that he would be able to participate at Roland Garros even if he was unvaccinated.

"He [Djokovic] would not follow the same organisational arrangements as those who are vaccinated," the minister told FranceInfo radio. "But he will nonetheless be able to compete [at Roland Garros] because the protocols, the health bubble, allows it."

The 34-year-old was initially allowed to participate in the Australian Open despite not being double-vaccinated as required. This was because he had applied for a health exemption on the basis that he had recently been infected with COVID-19.

However, the Australian Border Force detained the Serb, stating that a recent infection was not enough to secure passage into the country.

Novak Djokovic will be defending champion at 2022 French Open

Novak will be the defending champion at the 2022 French Open

When Roland Garros kicks off on the clay courts of Paris in May this year, Novak Djokovic will be the defending champion. The World No. 1 defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in an epic five-set encounter in the 2021 final to win his 19th Grand Slam title and second French Open.

Along the way, the Serb defeated Rafael Nadal in the semifinals in four sets, becoming the only person to defeat the 13-time winner twice at the Major.

With four months left until the French Open, Djokovic has the choice of avoiding a drawn-out drama like what transpired in Australia by getting vaccinated. But the Serb has made his views on vaccination clear in the past and is unlikely to change them in a hurry.