Home

Tennis

“It’s Like a Witch Hunt” – Novak Djokovic Hits Back at Adria Tour Critics

Published 08/20/2020, 9:48 AM EDT

Follow Us

Everyone was tense after Novak Djokovic tested positive for coronavirus in June. The World No.1 had organized the charity tour called ‘Adria Tour’ which was supposed to be held in four different places. But the tour was canceled just after the second leg as four players including Djokovic had contracted the virus. Fortunately, all of them have recovered and tested negative for the virus.

Djokovic did face a lot of criticism for not mandating masks and social distancing during the tour. The whole debacle split the tennis world. And later Djokovic apologized for the tour and said it happened with good intentions.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

“If I had the chance to do the Adria Tour again, I would do it again” – Novak Djokovic

Recently, in an interview with the New York Times, Djokovic again emphasized that he organized the event with the right intentions. He acknowledged that some steps could have been taken and also spoke against the relentless criticism he was receiving for the tour.

“We tried to do something with the right intentions. Yes, there were some steps that could have been done differently, of course, but am I going to be then forever blamed for doing a mistake? I mean, OK, if this is the way, fine, I’ll accept it, because that’s the only thing I can do,” Djokovic said

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest Tennis stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

“Whether it’s fair or not, you tell me, but I know that the intentions were right and correct, and if I had the chance to do the Adria Tour again, I would do it again. I don’t think I’ve done anything bad, to be honest. I do feel sorry for people that were infected. Do I feel guilty for anybody that was infected from that point onward in Serbia, Croatia, and the region? Of course not. It’s like a witch hunt, to be honest. How can you blame one individual for everything?” he added.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

 

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Djokovic has not paid attention to the criticism. He focused on his recovery and fitness. He is already in New York ready to participate in the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.

This year’s US Open will look different. There won’t be fans flocking Flushing Meadows to see their stars. And Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will also miss the Grand Slam. Such tough times have created extraordinary situations and let’s hope we have a safe and smooth US Open.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Bhavishya Mittal

1,226Articles

One take at a time

Bhavishya Mittal is a tennis author for EssentiallySports, who is currently pursuing his Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Manipal University. A former sports editor for The Manipal Journal, Bhavishya has also worked for The New Indian Express. He has a keen eye for many sports but he is a particularly ardent follower of tennis, with a zest to create riveting articles on the ever-evolving sport.
Show More>