US Open champion Daniil Medvedev says he’s keen to play within the Australian Open however wouldn’t commit himself to doing so with solely gamers vaccinated towards Covid being allowed to compete. The 25-year-old Russian mentioned he agrees with world primary Novak Djokovic and that medical data needs to be confidential and personal. It seems to be all however sure that solely these gamers who’ve been vaccinated shall be allowed to compete within the first Grand Slam of the season which will get underway in Melbourne on January 17.
Regardless of a leaked electronic mail from the WTA final week suggesting unvaccinated gamers might quarantine for 14 days, the Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews dominated that out saying no exemptions could be made.
9-time Australian Open champion Djokovic is considered one of many gamers who’ve refused to share their vaccination standing, casting doubt over whether or not he’ll defend his title.
Medvedev didn’t elaborate on his personal standing however says he’s eager so as to add back-to-back Slam titles.
“Look I wish to play there,” he advised a press convention forward of the Paris Masters, the place he’s the defending champion, by way of Zoom on Sunday.
“I at all times mentioned I actually like Novak’s reply which is I wish to hold my medical, irrespective of if it’s a head or leg damage, non-public.
“That’s for a motive as tennis is such a brutal sport the place you might be at all times one on one along with your opponent and any data you give him can go towards you.
“I made a decision at one level to maintain my medical data non-public until it’s apparent.
“So for instance if you’re enjoying Australia you might be clearly vaccinated.
“I’m keen to play in Australia however I will not say if you will notice me there in January.”
Medvedev — who nonetheless entertains hopes of changing Djokovic as world primary by season’s finish — mentioned it is going to be fascinating to see who performs within the opening Slam of 2022.
“It is going to be straightforward to see who has been vaccinated in the event that they play in Australia,” mentioned the world quantity two.
“In fact you possibly can say you might be injured which is true generally, however I’m keen to play in Australia and that’s all I’ve to say.”
This 12 months’s Australian Open was hit arduous by the pandemic with all gamers going via two weeks of quarantine, whereas crowds had been restricted and a five-day snap lockdown known as mid-event.
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Absolutely vaccinated gamers are anticipated to have the ability to enter Australia with out quarantining or being confined to bio-secure bubbles, the leaked electronic mail added.
Tennis Australia mentioned earlier this week it was working with each the Victorian and federal governments on circumstances for gamers, saying it was “optimistic that we will maintain the Australian Open as near pre-pandemic circumstances as attainable”.
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