Djokovic has to follow the rules, says Nadal

Bengaluru, May 9: Former world No.1 Rafael Nadal said Novak Djokovic will have to stick to the rules and need to be vaccinated to keep playing if the governing bodies of tennis make the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shots obligatory once they become available.

It may be recalled that Djokovic had recently said in an interview that he was against taking a vaccine for the coronavirus even if it became mandatory to travel.

The Serbian world No.1 later said he was open to changing his mind.

Coronavirus in sport: Djokovic opposes compulsory vaccination

"If the ATP or the International Tennis Federation (ITF) obligates us to take the vaccine to play tennis, then we'll have to do it," Nadal was quoted as saying by the Spanish daily La Voz de Galicia.

The Spaniard added no one can be forced to take the vaccine and everyone should be free to make their choices, but all players will have to comply if ATP/ITF officials require vaccination to travel and to protect everyone on the tour.

"Then Djokovic will have to be vaccinated if he wants to keep playing tennis at the top level. The same for me. Everyone will've to follow the rules, just like now we've to stay at home."

The 33-year-old compared it to the restrictions players already have on medicines because of doping controls.

"It's about following the rules, nothing more than that," he said.

Djokovic was in the eye of a storm recently for breaking confinement rules in Spain after a local club said it mistakenly allowed him to practice on one of its courts.

Coronavirus: Spain's tennis club apologises for letting Djokovic train

Tennis players are likely to be authorised to be back on courts in Spain beginning on May 11.

More than 30 sanctioned events have been scrapped since early March until at least mid-July, including Wimbledon, which was cancelled for the first time in 75 years, while the start of the French Open has been postponed from May until September.

The US Open is scheduled to begin in New York in late August, but organisers said they will decide in June if that tournament will be held at all.

(With inputs ftom ATP media)