Coronavirus Outbreak: Novak Djokovic, wife test positive for COVID-19 after Adria Tour

Novak Djokovic, the men’s world number one tennis player, has tested positive for COVID-19, the Serbian said in a statement.

Djokovic tested positive on Tuesday after taking part in a tennis exhibition series he organised in Serbia and Croatia, becoming the fourth player to test positive for COVID-19.

Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all revealed they had coronavirus after playing at Djokovic’s Adria Tour competition.

“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.

Djokovic has been criticised for organising the tournament and bringing in players from other countries amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Great Britain’s Andy Murray said the positive tests were a “lesson for us”, while Australian Nick Kyrgios called playing a “bone-headed decision”.

Troicki said on Tuesday that he and his pregnant wife have both been diagnosed with the virus, while Grigor Dimitrov, a three-time Grand Slam semi-finalist from Bulgaria, said on Sunday he has tested positive . Borna Coric played Dimitrov on Saturday in Zadar and said on Monday he has also tested positive .

There were no social distancing measures observed at the matches in either country.

“Everything we did in the past month, we did with a pure heart and sincere intentions,” Djokovic said. “Our tournament meant to unite and share a message of solidarity and compassion throughout the region.”

Djokovic, who has previously said he was against taking a vaccine for the virus even if it became mandatory to travel, was the face behind the Adria Tour, a series of exhibition events that started in the Serbian capital and then moved to Zadar.

He left Croatia after the final was cancelled and was tested in Belgrade. The statement said Djokovic was showing no symptoms.

Despite the positive test, Djokovic defended the exhibition series.

“It was all borne with a philanthropic idea, to direct all raised funds towards people in need and it warmed my heart to see how everybody strongly responded to this,” Djokovic said. “We organised the tournament at the moment when the virus has weakened, believing that the conditions for hosting the Tour had been met.

“Unfortunately, this virus is still present, and it is a new reality that we are still learning to cope and live with.”

Djokovic said he will remain in self-isolation for 14 days and also apologized to anyone who became infected as a result of the series.

With inputs from The Associated Press