Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

The big questions surrounding Djokovic’s Australian Open medical exemption

The big questions surrounding Djokovic’s Australian Open medical exemption

Novak Djokovic has received a medical exemption to play at the season-opening Grand Slam in Melbourne, triggering a backlash

World number one Novak Djokovic has revealed that he will defend his Australian Open title after being granted a medical exemption by the authorities, but the news has arguably raised as many questions as it has answered.

1. Why was Djokovic granted a medical exemption for the Australian Open?


In short, we may never know the answer to this question because the process for granting exemptions is confidential.

Djokovic and tennis officials will surely be questioned on the subject, but as things stand they have the right to remain silent.

The full process for granting exemptions was explained as follows: “The Covid-19 vaccination protocols for the Australian Open, including the process for players seeking medical exemptions, have been finalized by the Victorian Department of Health and Tennis Australia.

“Under an independent process, applications for a medical exemption were first reviewed by an expert panel made up of doctors from the fields of immunology, infectious disease and general practice.

“Applications that met the national guidelines set by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) were then subjected to a second review conducted by a Government-appointed panel of medical experts, the Independent Medical Exemption Review Panel.

“The applications were reviewed and approved only in line with ATAGI guidelines.

“The process included the redaction of personal information to ensure privacy for all applicants.”

2. What are Djokovic’s views on Covid vaccination?


Djokovic has firmly pushed freedom of choice regarding vaccination.

"It doesn't really matter whether it's vaccination or anything else in life. You should have the freedom to choose, to decide what you want to do. In this particular case, what you want to put in your body," Djokovic has said previously.

He told a group of fellow Serbian players last year: "Personally, I am opposed to vaccination, and I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel."

When later defending those comments, Djokovic said: "I am no expert, but I do want to have an option to choose what’s best for my body. I am keeping an open mind, and I’ll continue to research on this topic."

Djokovic is well known for his alternative views on therapy and treatments, and admitted to crying and suffering guilt when undergoing elbow surgery in 2018, saying he felt like he had "failed" himself.

3. What is the reaction to Djokovic’s exemption for Melbourne?


The news has not gone down well with many Down Under, where everyday citizens have been living under some of the world's strictest Covid protocols for almost two years.

"Australians have been denied for two years, but this bloke – who’s taken extraordinary liberties in the face of the coronavirus – gets his exemption. Novak Djokovic is an all-time great, but he ain’t essential," read a tweet from journalist Andy Maher which summed up much of the mood.

Opinion pieces across the internet worldwide have already attempted to paint Djokovic as a villain with a superiority complex. In the eyes of some, the situation has stained the legacy of a man who is among the greatest ever to play the sport.

4. Have other players been granted exemptions for the Australian Open?


Australian Open director Craig Tiley recently explained that some other still-unnamed players have been granted exemptions.

"We know of athletes that have applied for an exemption and in cases, it’s been granted," Tiley said."[Some of them] have indicated that they’re here [in Australia], but that’s up to the athlete, to disclose and [decide] whether they want to share that information."

By contrast, Russia's Natalia Vikhlyantseva revealed last month that she cannot take part in the tournament as the Sputnik V jab is not recognized in Australia despite being approved in over 70 countries.

5. What have other tennis stars said about Djokovic?


Speaking from the ongoing ATP Cup in Sydney, British doubles star Jamie Murray claimed: "I think if it was me that wasn't vaccinated I wouldn't be getting an exemption," suggesting that Djokovic had supposedly received star treatment.

Before Tuesday's news, Australian women's world number one Ashleigh Barty said the topic was a "tricky one" for her "because it’s not my decision".

"We put trust in those people who are making those decisions," she continued.

"They have the correct information. That’s what it is – that’s all it is. There’s nothing else to it."

Additionally, though, Barty confessed she would have no problem playing against unvaccinated players with their medical history the least of her concerns on court.

6. How successful is Djokovic at the Australian Open?


Incredibly. Over a 13-year period from 2008 to 2021, Djokovic has won the Australian Open title nine times, making him the most successful men's star ever at the tournament.

Djokovic currently equals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Grand Slam titles overall. But with another win in Melbourne, the 34-year-old can surpass his Swiss and Spanish rivals as the most successful tennis player of all time, while also setting up another crack at becoming the first man since Australian Rod Laver to complete a Grand Slam calendar year.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
×