Greek Tennis star, Stefanos Tsitsipas has slammed his colleague Novak Djokovic for making Australian Open players ‘look like fools’ and ‘playing by his own rules.’
The attack comes after Australia’s Immigration Minister is making plans to revoke his visa for a second time and throw him out of the country over his exemption to get vaccinated.
On Thursday November 13, Djokovic was paired with compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round in draw, but he could still be deported after admitting incorrect information was included on his paperwork to enter Australia.
The 20-time Slam champion, who has not been vaccinated, faces questions now only in Australia but also in Spain and his homeland of Serbia after breaking Covid rules last month.
Djokovic has now come under fire from one of his challengers for the Australian Open, which starts on Monday, as Greek world No 4 Tsitsipas joined a chorus of criticism.
‘He has been playing by his own rules,’ he told the Indian outlet WION. ‘No-one would have thought: ‘I can come to Australia unvaccinated and not have to follow the protocols they gave me.’
‘For Novak, it worked another way. It takes a lot of daring to do. Putting a Grand Slam at risk – I don’t think many players would do that.’
Tsitsipas, who was denied his first Slam win by Djokovic in last year’s French Open final, added: ‘There are two ways to look at it – one way is that almost every single player has been vaccinated and did what they had to do in order to come and play in Australia.
‘We have all followed the protocols to come and compete in Australia and been very disciplined in that.
‘It seems like not everyone is playing by the rules of how Tennis Australia and some governments have been putting things.
