Matthew Abraham: Novak Djokovic is a genius tennis player – that doesn’t mean he’s smart

There’s no doubt Novak Djokovic is a genius when it comes to tennis, writes Matthew Abraham. But when it comes to setting an example to save lives, he just looks dumb.

Magawa the rat had a nose for trouble. During his five-year career, the specially-trained African giant pouched rat sniffed out more than 100 landmines and many pieces of what we politely call “unexploded ordnance” in war-ravaged Cambodia.

A New York Times obit to the rodent reports the rat’s life-saving exploits saw him awarded a gold medal in 2020 from the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals. He was the first rodent in the British charity’s history to receive the bravery medal, the George Cross of the animal world.

But here’s the thing about Magawa. He was just an ordinary rat, except for one thing – his ability to locate deadly intent. This was his genius gene.

Having a genius gene might make you fantastic at one particular thing, but it doesn’t make you a genius. Depending on how you use your talent, it doesn’t make you a better person, or rat, than the next person, or rat.

Journalist and author Christine Wallace, who wrote The Private Don, a biography of cricketing giant Sir Don Bradman, once observed of Shane Warne that while the cricketer most definitely had a single genius gene – his spin bowling – this didn’t explain, or excuse, the dumb things he did off the ground.

Which brings us to Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic. Nobody can doubt he has a genius gene called “tennis”. He’s the world’s best tennis player, has been Number One for a record 355 weeks and has nailed a joint record 20 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, including a record nine Australian Opens.

But that doesn’t make him smart.

Novak Djokovic takes part in a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 13, 2022. Picture: Mike Frey / AFP

It doesn’t necessarily make him a nice person, although I’m sure that one resides somewhere beneath that impressive ego. Being a tennis megastar doesn’t mean he’s brilliant or even competent at everything else expected of mere mortals.

Does he know how to change the washer on a leaky tap? Bet he doesn’t.

In life and particularly in politics, too many of us make the mistake of thinking that if someone is brilliant at sport or filthy rich, they’re good at everything. It causes a lot of problems.

When it comes to setting a world class, top-ranking example to help millions of people stay alive and safe from COVID-19, Novak Djokovic looks just plain dumb.

He donated a million Euro (A$1.56m) to buy ventilators for Serbian hospitals. But throughout the course of this pandemic, he’s made a mockery of sensible precautions we can all take to protect ourselves and others from winding up on ventilators. He’s had Covid twice, so far.

On Monday, when the Federal Circuit Court overturned the first Morrison Government attempt to block Djokovic’s entry to Australia because he was unvaccinated, Judge Anthony Kelly said: ‘‘The point I am agitated about is what more could this man have done?’’.

Well, your honour, maybe this man could have got vaccinated before hopping on the plane to Australia. Maybe this man could have not mingled, unmasked, with children and others days after testing positive for Covid on December 16. Maybe this man could not have provided false information on his travel declaration to enter our country. Maybe this man could take responsibility for this rather than calling it an “error of judgement” or blaming the lackey who allegedly filled out the forms.

Maybe this man could tell his doting, besotted, kooky family to shut up.

In one of its packed media conferences, the family said “Novak is Serbia and Serbia is Novak”. Funny, then, that the Serbian Government is now having a very close look at his Covid hijinks.

The family said he was being treated like a prisoner during his three-day confinement in a Melbourne hotel. His dad said Novak was not only like the Roman gladiator Spartacus but, wait for it, was being crucified like Jesus.

Jesus was whipped, had a crown of thorns crushed on his head, was nailed to a cross then speared. Three days in a $109 hotel room doesn’t quite compare, somehow.

Novak escaped his hotel “prison”. Shame about the refugees and asylum seekers who’ve been confined there for months, some for more than a year.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at the outset “rules are rules” and there’d be “no special cases” for entry to Australia for the unvaccinated. On Friday afternoon, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke delivered, cancelling Djokovic’s visa on “health and good order grounds”. Second time lucky. Spartacus will have to wait to win his tenth Australian Open in all his unvaccinated glory. Or maybe not. Frankly, who gives a rats.