2022 Tennis (new balls please - grand slam threads are waiting to take their seats)

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...an-open-tennis

Novak Djokovic - I get the feeling on here I'm possibly his sole remaining fan in the GOAT race context - gets his "medical exemption" for not declaring his vaccination status ahead of his attempt to win a 21st Grand Slam.

[ursus arctos]

I can't imagine that this is going to go over well with the Victorian public at large

[ad hoc]

On what conditions can you be awarded a medical exemption? Surely there must be some public information on that. Recent bout of the illness plus PCR?

[Sporting]

I was wondering the very same.

[ursus arctos]

Two "independent" medical panels need to agree to issue the exemption, but the basis for their decision is not made public,

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/tenn...04-p59lw1.html

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

If he wins, it may be the least enjoyed Grand Slam singles win of the Open Era, from the collective world tennis fan perspective. Mind you, a Zverev title wouldn’t be likely to prompt global joy either.

[Janik]

Two "independent" medical panels need to agree to issue the exemption, but the basis for their decision is not made public

Individuals medical details very rarely are. Tennis Australia was always clear that the process was private, and that it was up to Djokovic what, if anything, was made public.

He is probably less popular now than at any previous point in his career, which is rather remarkable. From neutral perception to generally anti is not a typical path for players of great longevity.

[Gangster Octopus]

Although he did seem to finally bond with the New York crowd the other month. Losing gets you accepted...

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Some signs already that Djokovic's vax exemption may be as popular in Australia as the 10 Downing Street "work session" parties have been in the UK.

[ad hoc]

Yes, I think he's going to be booed off the courts if he ever gets on them

[Satchmo Distel]

At the very least, he'll be asked repeatedly to prove that his exemption is legitimate. Hiding behind anonymity isn't going to fly even though he's legally entitled to privacy. If his refusal to vaccinate is a moral one, he should withdraw on those grounds and thus at least have grounds for claiming moral integrity, however dubious. His willingness to expose others to the risk of infection is also becoming a pattern, stretching over two years now to that disastrous event he hosted (IIRC).

[ad hoc]

I get the impression that his fellow players are very annoyed, and the general population of Victoria are really fucking angry

[Sporting]

If he does have a legit exemption, where's the problem in saying what it is? Health issues long since passed being slurs on one's character. And yeah, I may have my own health issues which I prefer to keep quiet about, but then again I'm not about to play in the Australian Open.

[ad hoc]

I think requiring people to talk about their medical history and issues is too far to go. Even for Djokovic. However, given that we know he believes in some kind of magical rocks and holy water and the power of Serb-ness or something, then i would kind of like to get the sense that there is more to his exemption than just "he's Novak Djokovic"

[multipleman78]

I do actually worry for Djokovic's mental health. There is a real push to demonise him in this instance. He may have some strange, and in this case, risky beliefs about vaccines but he asked for an exemption and has been granted one, apparently after independent analysis. On that basis, he should be allowed to get on with his job as we don't know why he has an exemption.

However, with the media build up, I fully expect Djokovic to be public enemy number 1 and be booed out of the stadium. This is a man who has shown that one of his small frailties was that he took how the crowd felt about him to heart. This could get very ugly and as much as I disagree with Djokovic over vaccines, I don't want to see him abused in such a fashion.

The noise might get so loud and aggressive that he pulls out beforehand. That might be the best thing for everyone. It's also possible that he plays and its gets so bad that there is a backlash against the backlash when he breaks down on court, which he probably will.

[ad hoc]

I think expecting Australians to go along with this, given all the lockdowns they've faced (especially in Melbourne) is asking a lot. I agree that the best thing for all concerned would be for him to withdraw.

[Antepli Ejderha]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-59876203

The PM wades in. I doubt Djokovic will play.

[anton pulisov]

Apparently surgery can be given as medical exception, and these tennis players are always under the knife.

Why it would be a medical exception is beyond me.

[Satchmo Distel]

https://twitter.com/thetimes/status/1478737205610827776

[Antepli Ejderha]

I thought he was already there playing in a warm up tournament or did he pull out of that?

[ursus arctos]

He only got the exemption yesterday.

He appears to have been stuck in passport control for over two hours now.

[Gangster Octopus]

He appears to have been stuck in passport control for over two hours now.

Welcome to the world of normal people...

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

It's not looking good, is it. I reckon they're going to send him home just because, you know, politics and stuff. It's his own silly bloody fault.

[Satchmo Distel]

BBC from the link above:

But it is also possible Djokovic has recently tested positive for the virus, which would allow him to defer taking the vaccine.

So, in theory, if you want to dodge taking the vaccine before the tournament, get yourself infected?

It would be odd indeed if Djokovic were more opposed to the vaccine than to the risk of getting the virus, yet that seems to be his history during the pandemic.

[ursus arctos]

My sense is that the current impasse is grounded in no one wanting to wake up the Victorian (and possibly Federal) officials with sufficient authority to make a decision either way (it is a bit before 4 am in Melbourne).