Novak Djokovic, “Persona non grata” of tennis tournaments

In the case of Djokovic, Spain has followed Australia’s in banning Serbia from entering their country and from participating in the Madrid Open in late April, unless he has yet been vaccinated.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sంచnchez made the announcement on Monday.

After a long legal battle between the world-famous Rocket and Australia, for the same reasons, before the start of the first major tournament this year, Oceania removed “Joko” from its territory.

Sanchez also praised the decision. “The rules are in place and no one is above them,” he said in a statement quoted by CNN Network. If these are rules governed by the Australian Government, they must be applied.

To enter Spain, a visitor must submit a complete proof of vaccination, along with a negative test for COVID-19 or a certificate of infection and proof that we have recovered within 72 hours of landing there.

However, Spain was not the first country to support Australia by stating that holders of 20 major ATP Tour titles would not be allowed within its borders. France, hosting the Roland-Garros tournament in late May, confirmed its intention to welcome only vaccinated athletes by the end of May, much to the displeasure of all Serbs who support their statue.