Novak Djokovic tests positive for COVID-19 after ignoring distancing and partying at exhibition event
Nick Kyrgios hasn’t held back in his condemnation after learning Novak Djokovic and his wife tested positive for the coronavirus following an event where social distancing guidelines were flagrantly ignored.
Tennis
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Nick Kyrgios has issued another withering condemnation of Novak Djokovic’s controversial charity tennis tournament after the world No.1 revealed he had himself tested positive for COVID-19 following the event.
Djokovic, 33, revealed the diagnosis after being tested on his return to Serbia from his controversial Adria Tour event, where social distancing guidelines were flagrantly ignored. His wife Jelena has also tested positive for the virus.
“The moment we arrived in Belgrade we went to be tested,” Djokovic said in a statement.
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“My result is positive, just as Jelena’s, while the results of our children are negative.”
Kyrgios, earlier this week, declared it a “boneheaded decision” on Twitter. Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki have already tested positive.
Prayers up to all the players that have contracted Covid - 19. Don’t @ me for anything I’ve done that has been ‘irresponsible’ or classified as ‘stupidity’ - this takes the cake. https://t.co/lVligELgID
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) June 23, 2020
And with video footage also emerging on social media of the Serb star dancing in a nightclub with some of the other players, Kyrgios let rip on Twitter again on Tuesday.
“Prayers up to all the players that have contracted Covid- 19,” Kyrgios said, retweeting a video of the players dancing shirtless in Belgrade.
“Don’t @ me for anything I’ve done that has been ‘irresponsible’ or classified as ‘stupidity’ - this takes the cake.”
Djokovic’s fitness coach Marco Panichi and Dimitrov’s coach Christian Groh have also tested positive.
“I am so deeply sorry our tournament has caused harm,” Djokovic, who has said he would be against a compulsory coronavirus vaccination if it became a requirement for tennis players to travel to tournaments, wrote on Twitter.
Nightlife in Belgrade with Djokovic, Thiem, Zverev, Dimitrov, Serbian players.. ðŸ˜ðŸ”¥ðŸ¥³
— THE JOKER(S) ðŸƒðŸ‡·ðŸ‡¸ (@NBASerbians) June 15, 2020
Video: @hotsportsrb pic.twitter.com/Rf3gURzHng
It has also been reported that Djokovic’s position as president of the ATP players’ council could be in jeopardy after his actions in pushing on with the tour and apparent ignoring of health advice.
“We believed the tournament met all health protocols and the health of our region seemed in good condition to finally unite people for philanthropic reasons.
“We were wrong and it was too soon.”
The 17-time Grand Slam winner said, adding that he would now go into self-isolation for the next 14 days. He will be re-tested in five days.
Djokovic has come under fire for allegedly not following social distancing rules throughout the multi-leg exhibition event, which had included shirtless dancing in a Belgrade nightclub, basketball matches and close contact before and after tennis matches.
Britain’s Andy Murray said that while he “has always had a good relationship with Novak”, he condemned the actions of the group.
“In hindsight, what has happened there is not a good look,” Murray said.
“It’s important that top athletes around the world should be showing that we are taking this seriously and knowing that we are using social-distancing measures, like when I’m getting treatment from my physio while wearing masks just to reduce the risk as much as possible.
“It has been the case a bit in golf as well that there have been a few players flouting the rules, and it’s just not a good look for the sport when something like this happens. I hope that we learn from it because ultimately the (ATP) tour won’t get back again if we are having problems every week and the players are doing what they want.”
The ATP tour is set to resume on August 14, with the US Open scheduled for later that month.
NBA star swept up in Djokovic’s COVID chaos
Denver Nuggets All-Star centre Nikola Jokic reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus in Serbia, delaying his return to the United States in the lead-up to the NBA season restart.
Jokic was scheduled to return to Denver this week.
According to ESPN, Jokic has been asymptomatic since testing positive last week. Per the report, he is expected to be cleared to travel to Denver within a week.
Jokic, 25, was in Belgrade for an exhibition game on June 15.
One of the players who participated in the game, and was later seen in close proximity to Jokic, tested positive soon after.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic, who was also sitting next to Jokic at the event, announced he had tested positive on Tuesday (EST).
NBA players who left their home team market were scheduled to return to their pro team market on June 15 for testing.
Jokic was granted an exception by the NBA to stay in Sombor. All other players are due to report this week, per the terms of the NBA and NBPA agreement, as the league begins advanced preparation for the resumption of the 2019-2020 season.
Mandatory individual workouts in home markets begin on July 1.
The Nuggets are 43-22, third in the Western Conference, as the NBA season resumes.