World No. 4 tennis player, Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas said on Monday that he respects Serbian Novak Djokovic's decision to keep his vaccination status private, adding that the world No. 1 has the "freedom to decide" whether he wants to compete at the Australian Open or not.
World No. 1 Djokovic has kept the Australian Open organisers in the dark about his COVID-19 vaccination status, and with the winner of 20 Grand Slam titles withdrawing from the multi-nation ATP Cup in Sydney from January 1, 2022, he has added to the mystery of his participation in the opening major of the year.
Only fully vaccinated and a 'very limited number' of players who receive medical exemption can compete at the Australian Open next year.
Djokovic, the nine-time Australian Open winner, is also the defending champion at Melbourne Park. The Australian Open commences on January 17.
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Tsitsipas, who will be competing at Melbourne Park after dropping his reservations over getting vaccinated, said on Monday that, "It is his (Djokovic's) choice, I respect it. Everyone has the freedom to decide. I will go to Australia."
"I don't promote vaccination, but I'm not even against it. I support anyone who wants to do it. I am not a doctor, I am an athlete and my outlook may not be the best when it comes to medicine. I will be vaccinated this year," Tsitsipas told Sky Sport.
"I do it to have a normal life," Tsitsipas told Greek TV ANT1.
Tsitsipas, who is recovering from an elbow injury which hampered him during the Paris Masters and forced his early pull-out from the ATP Finals, said that he had recovered.
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"My elbow is fantastic. I am sure I will be 100 per cent back. The goal is definitely to go even higher. I hope the preparation goes well and that the New Year will be three times better than this season," Tsitsipas said.
"In Paris the pain was unbearable so I had to quit from that game, I've never retired in a match -- it was very painful for me to let the crowd down and not play that match," Tsitsipas said about the ATP Finals.
"But, I had to, it was for my safety, my well-being, and I don't regret doing that."
