Top analyst slams Novak Djokovic Australian Open detention fiasco ‘a mess, a shame and a pity’
Alex Corretja has urged both Novak Djokovic and the Australian Government to provide more clarity on the detainment situation, feeling the situation is “very difficult to understand.”
20-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic appeared set to defend his Australian Open crown and compete for a record-breaking 21st Slam title and a record-extending tenth ‘Happy Slam’ when he announced he had received a medical exemption.
However, he is currently being detained in an Australian immigration hotel after his visa was cancelled and his medical exemption was deemed insufficient upon arrival at the border.
The World number one faces the possibility of deportation but has been allowed to stay in the country with an injunction as he looks to battle the decision in court.
In an interview with Eurosport, analyst and famed coach Corretja said “wow, what a mess. What a shame. What a pity for everyone, especially for Novak. Especially for tennis.
“If you agree with the exemption or not, apparently there are other players that have got an exemption, and nobody cares about it; nobody talks about it. It is obvious that, because it is Novak, everybody talks about him.
“If they had said, ‘no, sorry, you have to get vaccinated, otherwise you’re not going to play the Australian Open,’ then he could have decided whether he plays or not, depending on whether he wants to get vaccinated, which is his choice.
“It is very difficult to understand the exemption decision from the outside because we don’t have the information. There should be more transparency from all aspects, including Novak and the tournament,” Corretja claimed.
“Since they have kept it private, they have created this controversy. I think it should have been clarified and clearer for everyone in order for people to understand what was going on.
“This has not helped Novak’s reputation at all, and it hasn’t helped the tournament at all. Now it has become a world issue.
“The situation with Novak, everyone is giving an opinion from the outside, without really knowing what the truth is.
“This is probably the worst-case scenario for something as serious as allowing the best player in the world to play in your tournament, in a country which has been very strict and restrictive with its citizens,” Corretja concluded.
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