"The press doesn't hate Djokovic" - Jon Wertheim denies allegations that the tennis media is biased against the Serb

Renowned sports journalist Jon Wertheim recently shed some light on Novak Djokovic's love-hate relationship with the pre

The 21-time Grand Slam winner has been subjected to a lot of criticism for his staunch stance on getting the COVID-19 vaccination. His aversion to getting the jab led to him being barred from participating in two Grand Slams of the season, the Australian Open and the US Open.

Wertheim, the executive editor of Sports Illustrated, took to Twitter to clear the air regarding the press' perception of the former World No. 1. The journalist replied to a tweet mentioning that the press dislikes Djokovic by raving about the Serb. He added that the World No. 7 is "fundamentally decent." However, he did mention that some in the media disapprove of Djokovic's unvaccinated status and hoped that the positive spirit of Laver Cup would help his image.

"It is naive to suggest we all commit to turning down the volume? The press doesn't hate Djokovic. He's an exquisite player. He's fundamentally decent. Some in the media (and peers, fans, etc.) object to the Covid behavior. That's all. May the spirit of @LaverCup redound to fans," he tweeted.

"I still want to play tennis even though I achieved pretty much everything" - Novak Djokovic

International BNL d'Italia - Day Six

Ahead of his Tel-Aviv Open campaign, Novak Djokovic shed some light on his future plans. Speaking about his retirement, the Serb said he has no current plans of retiring despite winning "pretty much everything."

The former World No. 1 was last seen in action at the Laver Cup, representing Team Europe. The Serb had a flying start after winning his first two matches, a singles match followed by a doubles tie. However, on the last day, he lost his singles match to Team World's Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Speaking at the pre-tournament press conference, the 21-time Grand Slam winner reflected on his career by saying he still has the "passion" and "hunger" to continue swinging his racquet despite winning almost everything in his career.

“I still want to play tennis even though I achieved pretty much everything that you can achieve in tennis," said the Serb. "I still have passion and hunger to play at a highest professional level.”

The 35-year-old will lock horns with Pablo Andujar in the second-round of the event. The Tel Aviv Open was dropped from the ATP tournament calendar in 1996, but was reinstated this year following the cancelation of the Chinese swing.