Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 tennis player in the world, and his wife Jelena have tested positive for the coronavirus.
“The moment we arrived in Belgrade we went to be tested. My result is positive, just as Jelena’s, while the results of our children are negative,” Djokovic said in a statement.
Over the past two weekends, Djokovic had competed in the Adria Tour, a series of charity tournaments to help the Serbian tennis federation. The Adria Tour has been criticized for its lack of social distancing, as players have hugged and high-fived while playing in front of large crowds. Three other players who participated in the tour, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric, and Viktor Troicki, have also tested positive.
“Boneheaded decision to go ahead with the ‘exhibition,'” tennis player Nicholas Kyrgios tweeted after Coric tested positive. “Speedy recovery fellas, but that’s what happens when you disregard all protocols. This IS NOT A JOKE.”
Djokovic, who has won 17 grand slam titles, earlier in the year expressed skepticism about having to receive a coronavirus vaccine to continue playing on the men’s tour.
“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,” Djokovic said in April. “But if it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision. I have my own thoughts about the matter, and whether those thoughts will change at some point, I don’t know.”
