Coronavirus Outbreak: Novak Djokovic, other players will need to be vaccinated to ensure safety of athletes, says Rafael Nadal
Nadal says no one can be forced to take the vaccine and everyone should be free to make their choices but all players will have to comply if tennis officials require “vaccination to travel” and to “protect” everyone on the tour
Rafael Nadal says Novak Djokovic will need to be vaccinated to keep playing if tennis bodies make coronavirus shots obligatory once they become available.
File image of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Reuters
Nadal tells Spanish newspaper La Voz de Galicia this week that Djokovic and all players will have to follow the rules when tennis eventually returns to action.
Nadal says no one can be forced to take the vaccine and everyone should be free to make their choices but all players will have to comply if tennis officials require “vaccination to travel” and to “protect” everyone on the tour.
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Djokovic recently said he was against taking a vaccine for the coronavirus even if it became mandatory to travel. He later said he was open to changing his mind.
Nadal says “Djokovic will have to be vaccinated if he wants to keep playing tennis at the top level.”
He says that “if the ATP or the International Tennis Federation obligates us to take the vaccine to play tennis then we will have to do it.”
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