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Reuters

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Reuters

Novak Djokovic has had a turbulent 2022 season filled with ups and downs. He had a torrid time at the start of this year in Australia owing to his vaccination status. Subsequently, he missed the Australian Open after his deportation from Australia.

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After making a return to tennis, he had an inconsistent run in the tournaments, bowing out in the early rounds. However, he found his form during the clay-court season, winning the Rome Masters title. Further, in the recently concluded Wimbledon Championships, he defeated Australia’s Nick Kyrgios in the final to win his 21st Grand Slam title. However, Washington Post journalist Benjamin Butterworth came out in stark criticism of Djokovic.

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Washington Post journalist reveals why Novak Djokovic doesn’t deserve Wimbledon prize money

Recently, Butterworth criticized Djokovic for his vaccination stance. He said, “Novak Djokovic does not deserve a penny of the Wimbledon prize pool. He was selfish in not getting vaccinated and if we all followed his example there would be no tennis tournaments.”

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USA Today via Reuters

Further, he added, “He showed no respect towards his fellow tennis players and tennis fans. Djokovic should donate the entire prize pool to charity for people in need and for the families of Covid victims. This could be just one of the many ways to make amends.” 

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READ MORE: ‘Controversial and Not Helpful’ – Martina Navratilova Once Condemned Novak Djokovic’s Idea of Dividing Tennis Through PTPA

Nonetheless, Djokovic put on a great show at the recently concluded grass-court Grand Slam tournament. With this win, he has raced ahead of Roger Federer’s haul of 20 Grand Slam titles.

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Djokovic will probably be banned from entering Canada

Ahead of the US Open, Djokovic was hoping to participate in the National Bank Open in Montreal, Canada. However, Canada’s Health Minister recently said that Covid-19 rules apply to everyone, ruling out any possibility for Djokovic to attain an exemption.

Watch this story: Celebrating the multi-faceted Ashleigh Barty’s varied interests outside tennis on her 26th birthday

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It comes as a huge blow to Djokovic after his Wimbledon success. Additionally, it will have a further impact on his ATP ranking.

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Written by

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Vatsal Shah

3,705 Articles

Vatsal Shah is a tennis journalist at EssentiallySports, covering ATP and WTA storylines from the ES Trends Desk since 2023. He delivers breaking insights on major tournaments and player arcs, decoding tactical shifts and viral moments into accessible takeaways for fans worldwide. His coverage of Taylor Townsend’s Dubai title win stood out for capturing both the emotional significance of her victory and the context of her comeback.

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Tony Thomas

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