DThe Serbian public prosecutor’s office has rejected an allegation that tennis world number one Novak Djokovic used false PCR tests for the corona virus to enter Australia. The results of the tests are authentic, the authority said in a statement on Wednesday. “It has been established that Novak Djokovic has been tested multiple times and that the certificates of test results dated 12/16/2021 and 12/22/2021 are valid.”
Djokovic, who was not vaccinated against Covid-19, had tried to take part in the Australian Open with an exemption. He said he had recovered from an infection, citing a positive test December 16 and a negative certificate six days later. There are doubts about that.
Some media, including the BBC, had questioned the validity of the tests based on the serial number. Djokovic also took part in an event with young tennis players on December 17 and agreed to an interview with the French sports newspaper L’Equipe a day later. Djokovic later assured that he only found out about the positive result after the event on December 17 and admitted “a misjudgment” in relation to the interview.
Ultimately, his visa was annulled. After a 10-day legal battle, Djokovic was ultimately expelled by the Australian government before the tournament started for posing as a “health risk”. The tennis star had to leave shortly before the start of the tournament. Strict corona rules apply in Australia. In principle, only fully protected people are allowed to enter.
“I still can’t walk”
The Swiss tennis star Roger Federer meanwhile left an exact date for his comeback open. At a sponsor appointment on Wednesday, however, the 40-year-old confirmed that he would definitely like to return to the tour again. “I still can’t walk. But I work out in the gym every day. I really hope to be able to put weight on my knee again in two to three weeks,” Federer said. “Then we will see how the body reacts so that we can hit the ball again in April or May.”
The longtime number one in the world had his right knee operated on for the third time in August. Most recently, he was on the tennis court in a match in the quarter-finals in Wimbledon in July 2021. “Of course I would wish that everything could go faster. But the doctors don’t want me to rush things. They know how to slow me down,” said Federer.
After his historic triumph at the Australian Open, Grand Slam record winner Rafael Nadal was already eyeing the next goals. The 21st major title won in Melbourne was “not enough” to go down in tennis history as the most successful player in competition with his competitors Djokovic and Federer, said the Spaniard on Mallorca on Wednesday. Of course he wanted “to be the three of us players with the most trophies,” added the 35-year-old: “I would love it, but I’m not obsessed with the idea.”
Already at the French Open in May and June, which Nadal has already won 13 times, he could win his 22nd major title and thus expand his cushion on Djokovic and Federer (20 each). “I don’t know how many titles I will have at the end of my career,” said Nadal: “It wasn’t long ago that I would have been happy just to be able to play tennis again.”
After months of foot pain, a corona infection and even thoughts of retiring, Nadal surprisingly triumphed in Melbourne last Sunday. Against the Russian Daniil Medvedev he turned a 0:2 set deficit and won the Australian Open for the first time since 2009.
“Playing and winning these five-set matches and my body playing along gives me a lot of confidence and energy to keep going,” Nadal said. “So yes: I have the dedication and, more importantly, the motivation and.” Passion to take the next steps.”
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