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‘Never Told Others…’ – Coach Backs Novak Djokovic Amid Rising Controversy Surrounding His Vaccination Stance

Published 07/26/2022, 12:18 AM EDT

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Novak Djokovic has had an unusual 2022 season. He was aiming to continue his dream form of last season, which saw him win three Grand Slam titles. However, he was embroiled in a controversy as soon as he landed in Australia to defend his Australian Open title. Subsequently, the Serb faced a lengthy legal battle on his visa exemption. In the end, he faced deportation from Australia which prevented him from defending his Australian Open crown.

After off-court controversies, Djokovic endured a poor run of form before he came back strongly to win the Rome Masters and the Wimbledon Championships. However, after his grass-court glory, the former World Number 1 faces the risk of missing the US Open owing to his vaccination status. Recently, his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, has backed him amidst the off-court drama.

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Goran Ivanisevic comes out in support of Novak Djokovic

During an interview, Djokovic’s coach opened up about the Serb’s vaccination stance. He said, “I respect and appreciate him, he made a decision that he will not change. When they proclaim him to be a leader, to have a bad influence on people, that is wrong.”

USA Today via Reuters

Further, he went on to add, “He doesn’t want to get vaccinated, he doesn’t want to introduce it into his body, and he never told others not to get vaccinated. I respect and support his decision.”

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‘Would Have Been a Formidable Undertaking’ – Tennis Legend Believed Novak Djokovic Can Break Popular Opinion and Make It Big at the US Open

Amid uncertainty over his US Open participation, fans have started a petition in support of Djokovic. They have appealed to the United States government and the USTA to work together to resolve this issue.

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Djokovic catches up with Ivo Karlovic

After winning the Wimbledon Championships, the 21-time Grand Slam champion is holidaying in Croatia. During his visit to a Croatian island, he met former Croatian tennis player, Ivo Karlovic.

 

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A post shared by Ivo Karlovic (@ivokarlovic)

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WATCH THIS STORY: Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova moments that define their friendship

On the tennis front, Djokovic will miss the ATP 1000 Canadian Masters in Montreal after Canada’s Health Minister confirmed that Covid-19 rules will apply to everyone.

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Written by:

Vatsal Shah

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Vatsal Shah is a tennis author at EssentiallySports. With a Bachelor's degree in engineering, he is a die hard fan of tennis and sports in general. He is an ardent follower of Rafael Nadal and is inspired by his never-say-die attitude.
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Edited by:

Tony Thomas