Stefanos Tsitsipas says Novak Djokovic is "playing by his own rules" and other players "look like they are all fools or something" by not following Australia's COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Top-ranked Djokovic was drawn into Thursday's Australian Open draw, although uncertainty still remains over his involvement with the government deciding whether to take a second on concerns about his medical exemption from Australia's vaccine mandate. Whether to cancel their visa or not.
The 34-year-old, a vaccine skeptic, sparked widespread anger in Australia when he announced he was moving to Melbourne, giving visitors a medical exemption from vaccination requirements against COVID-19.
The Australian Border Force said his exemption was invalid and he was kept in an immigration detention hotel, but a court later allowed him to stay on the grounds that officers interviewed him in the intervening seven-hour process was "inappropriate". " did. night.
There may be some outrage from fellow Tour pros, with three of the top 100 men being vaccinated.
"Certainly, he is playing by his own rules and doing what many players did not dare to do, especially after the ATP announced certain criteria for players to enter the country," said Greece's world no. 4 Tsitsipas told India's WION news channel.
"Nobody really thought they could come to Australia without vaccinations and not follow protocol... it takes a lot of courage to do that and risk a Grand Slam, which I don't think Many players will."
The ATP, which regulates men's tennis, has said that 97 of the top 100 male players have been vaccinated.
American Tennis Sandgren told reporters earlier this month that he had pulled out of the Australian Open because of vaccine imperatives and opted not to apply for a medical exemption.
Asked whether Djokovic should defend his title at Melbourne Park next week as his visa saga continues, Tsitsipas said: "There are two ways to look at it.
"The one side of this is that almost every single player has been fully vaccinated ... and followed protocol for playing in Australia.
"On the other hand, it seems that not everyone is playing by the rules... a very small majority chose to follow their own way, which makes the majority look like fools."