Rafael Nadal says ‘justice has spoken’ in Novak Djokovic case, but jokes ‘I’d much rather he didn’t play’

Australian Open
Rafael Nadal unsure

Rafael Nadal believes the debate around vaccinations has developed into a “circus”, but he is pleased that justice was served in the Novak Djokovic visa cancellation case.

Judge Anthony Kelly on Monday quashed the decision by the Australian Border Force to cancel Djokovic’s visa and the Australian Government was ordered to pay legal costs and release the 34-year-old from detention within half an hour.

Novak Djokovic’s visa cancellation overturned by Australian judge

For now the world No 1 is free to defend his Australian Open title, although the Australian Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke could still exercise a personal power of cancellation of Djokovic’s visa.

Nadal was asked for his thoughts about the outcome of the Melbourne court case on Spain’s radio Onda Cero and replied: “Whether or not I agree with Djokovic on some things, justice has spoken and has said that he has the right to participate in the Australian Open and I think it is the fairest decision to do so, if it has been resolved that way. I wish him the best of luck.Onda Cero.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner then joked: “On a personal level, I’d much rather he didn’t play.

“It’s sports, many interests move around it, on a general level, at an economic, advertising level. Everything is much better when the best can be playing.”

However, Nadal has remained consistent about his views on vaccination against Covid-19 as he insists he trusts scientists around the world.

He added: “The most important institutions in the world say that the vaccine is the way to stop this pandemic and the disaster that we have been living for the last 20 months.”

The Spaniard also took aim against those who are creating a “circus” about vaccinations.

“I just try to follow what the people who know better say, the debate that is generated around it is a circus,” he said.

“But one thing is clear: no matter how much debate is generated, there are millions of deaths in the world due to a virus. That is a reality.”

Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal

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