Organisers
recently
confirmed
that
players
must
be
vaccinated
against
coronavirus
to
compete
in
the
tournament,
which
begins
on
January
17.

World
number
one
Djokovic,
who
won
a
record
ninth
title
in
Melbourne
last
year,
has
not
publicly
stated
whether
he
has
had
the
jab.

Srdjan
Djokovic
told
Serbia’s
TV
Prva
that
being
vaccinated
is
a
personal
choice,
and
that
Tennis
Australia’s
rules
are
essentially
“blackmail”.

“As
far
as
vaccines
and
non-vaccines
are
concerned,
it
is
the
personal
right
of
each
of
us
whether
we
will
be
vaccinated
or
not,”
he
was
quoted
as
saying
by
news
website
B92.

“No
one
has
the
right
to
enter
into
our
intimacy,
it
is
guaranteed
by
the
constitution.
Everyone
has
the
right
to
decide
on
their
health.

“Whether
[Novak]
is
vaccinated
or
not,
that
is
his
exclusive
right.
Will
he
publish
it,
I
don’t
think
so.
I
don’t
know
that
decision
either,
and
if
I
did,
I
wouldn’t
share
it
with
you.
He
has
the
right
to
decide
as
he
wants.”

When
asked
about
Djokovic’s
decision
to
play
in
Australia,
his
father
added:
“Whether
he
will
appear
there
depends
on
how
[the
organisers]
position
themselves.
He
would
want
it
with
all
his
heart
because
he’s
an
athlete,
and
we
would
love
that
too.

“Under
these
blackmails
and
conditions,
he
probably
won’t.
I
wouldn’t
do
that.
And
he’s
my
son,
so
you
decide
for
yourself.”

Djokovic,
who
is
tied
on
20
major
singles
titles
with
Rafael
Nadal
and
Roger
Federer,
recently
said
he
was
unsure
of
his
participation
following
his
appearance
at
the
ATP
Finals
in
Turin.

“I
was
just
waiting
to
hear
what
the
news
is
going
to
be
and
now
that
I
know
we’ll
just
have
to
wait
and
see,”
he
said.