Nick Kyrgios makes U-turn about allowing unvaccinated players to compete at Australian Open
Australian tennis maverick Nick Kyrgios has U-turned on the comments he made on his podcast about not wanting his home Grand Slam to go ahead in January 2022.
The 26-year-old said on his “No Boundaries” podcast that he wanted the Australian Open to be cancelled and that it would be “morally wrong” to force unvaccinated players to have the Covid jab.
However, Kyrgios has now clarified what he actually meant, on a video on his Instagram Stories he said: “To say that I’d want to Australian Open cancelled, I think that was the sentence that got taken out of context.
“Tennis has been such a big part of my life for 15 years plus.
“I’ve given myself a lot of sacrifice every single day for this sport and I love it.
“It’s more so for the people of Melbourne who have gone through hell and back.
“It’s been 275 days, nearly 300 days of lockdown and your freedom has been taken away from you.”
Check my Instagram for a full update on my comments on the Australian Open ❤️❤️❤️ (insta story)
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) November 16, 2021
Kyrgios isn’t against the idea of Australia welcoming people in for the Grand Slam next year but he doesn’t think it would be right to allow those who haven’t had a vaccination against Covid-19 into the country as it could potentially send them back into lockdown.
“I don’t think it’s morally right to accept players from overseas that aren’t vaccinated to come into our country and waltz around Melbourne (with a) free will,” he added.
“But for players who are vaccinated, I think that’s an amazing opportunity to get the people of Australia and the city of Melbourne back together for such an amazing sporting event.”
This would bring into question whether world No1 Novak Djokovic would be able to defend his title at the Australian Open as he has repeatedly declined to disclose his vaccination status.
Australian government officials and the premier of the state of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, have said that unvaccinated players will be barred from the tournament, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said unjabbed players would be able to play at the Grand Slam.
The Australian Open starts on January 17.
Latest
-
WTA Tour
Victoria Azarenka reveals how Novak Djokovic is inspiring her to reach for more
How world No 1 Novak Djokovic is inspiring Victoria Azarenka to reach for more.
-
ATP Tour
Jannik Sinner can’t control his laughter as he hits his physio in a ‘really important’ spot
Physio Giacomo Naldi was in Jannik Sinner’s line of fire at the Miami Open.
-
Tennis News
Andy Murray faces agonising waiting game after ankle injury nightmare
Andy Murray waiting to hear whether he still has a chance to end his career at Wimbledon this summer.
-
ATP Tour
Daniil Medvedev admits it ‘didn’t smell good’ as he mounts amazing Miami comeback
Daniil Medvedev bounced back from a desperate position in the first set tie-break to beat Dominik Koepfer.
-
Tennis News
Final moments of the Novak Djokovic era of dominance were hard to identify
Novak Djokovic’s reign as the king of men’s tennis appeared to be set to run and run – but the mood has changed.
-
Tennis News
Juan Martin del Potro makes Novak Djokovic claim as he weighs in on GOAT debate
“I believe that if he wins a couple more Grand Slams, there will no longer be a discussion.”
-
Tennis News
Emma Raducanu set for another rankings fall – but the only way is up now
Emma Raducanu is projected to tumble down the WTA rankings when the new list is released next week.
-
Tennis News
Gael Monfils makes brutal Carlos Alcaraz admission as he describes facing the Spaniard
“I feel like I’m getting eaten up, but at the same time, I feel like I’m playing well.”
-
Tennis News
Coco Gauff makes Novak Djokovic confession and reveals she modelled key shot after the Serb
“I tried to model it after Novak Djokovic a lot. That’s where that inspiration comes from.”
-
ATP Tour
Lorenzo Musetti told what he needs to do to beat ‘inspirational’ Carlos Alcaraz
“Alcaraz can play through you, he can play around you, he can bring you in so I just don’t know where Musetti goes.”