TA denies seeking vax loopholes; Serena Williams an Australian Open no-show

Tennis Australia has moved to distance itself from any attempts by players to seek medical exemptions from vaccinations to play the Australian Open, stressing any decisions belong entirely to health authorities.

Australian tennis officials flatly rejected the notion, raised in an earlier media report, that world No.1 Novak Djokovic had TA’s support to bid for an exemption and avoid vaccination. Djokovic has refused to specify his vaccination status on privacy grounds.

World No.1 Novak Djokovic.Credit: AP

Whether Djokovic, locked on a record 20 singles major wins with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, comes to Melbourne for January’s Australian Open has added intrigue after the Serbian champion was included among the main draw entries on Wednesday.

Nadal is among the entries, too, but Federer, unsurprisingly, is missing.

In what is perhaps the biggest sign of generational change in tennis – especially in the women’s game – 23-time singles major winner Serena Williams will be absent. The champion American gave a long wave goodbye and broke down in tears in her media conference following her semi-final exit earlier this year.

“While this is never an easy decision to make, I am not where I need to be physically to compete,” Williams told organisers.

“I will miss seeing the fans, but am excited to return and compete at my highest level.”

TA reacted strongly to the News Corp report about Djokovic, describing any suggestions that it was actively seeking “loopholes” for players as “simply untrue”.

Djokovic was this week also named to play in the ATP Cup – a tournament held entirely in Sydney this year but operating under the same COVID-19 protocols as the Australian Open, and requiring full vaccination.

“Any application for a medical exemption must follow strict government guidelines based on ATAGI (Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation) clinical advice. This is the same process that applies to any person wanting to enter Australia,” said a TA spokesperson.

“Any suggestion that Tennis Australia is seeking ‘loopholes’ within this process is simply untrue.

“Adjudicating on medical exemptions is the domain of independent medical experts. We are not in a position to influence this process, and nor would we.”

The suggestion was also strongly rejected by the Victorian government, which has been at pains to stress than mandatory COVID-19 vaccination applies to all Australian Open attendees.

Deputy Premier James Merlino said medical exemptions granted for acute medical conditions are “not a loophole for privileged tennis players” to exploit.

Two high-level sources familiar with the circumstances, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the situation, said the state government was unaware of any attempt by Djokovic or other players to seek an exemption.

One source indicated that Tennis Australia and tournament boss Craig Tiley were not keen for Djokovic to find an avenue into Melbourne that could be perceived by the public as a loophole, fuelling additional media coverage and creating a potential distraction from the tennis.

The opening major of 2022 – and the preceding ATP Cup, involving players from 16 nations – will be the first time tennis stars face mandatory COVID-19 vaccination. Other tournaments across the globe next year, however, are widely expected to follow suit.

The Victorian government, which has heavily backed the ongoing development of the Melbourne Park precinct in the past decade, stressed that the criteria for medical exemptions was determined by federal authorities.

“ATAGI’s tests for certification are very strict. We’d expect any such claims by an international tennis player to be rigorously tested by any Australian doctor,” said a spokesperson.

Mr Merlino said: “My view, and I think the view of all Victorians, the expectation of all Victorians, is that everyone who attends the Open - players, spectators, staff, officials, everyone’s fully vaccinated.

“The exemption[s] are for exceptional circumstances where a person has an acute medical condition – which means that they cannot get vaccinated.

“Should that apply to an elite fully fit tennis player? I would think not.”

Authorities have indicated that strict guidelines apply to the granting of medical exemptions to a COVID-19 vaccine, and are based on ATAGI’s clinical advice.

Individuals with confirmed infection of COVID-19 may be eligible for a temporary medical exemption from vaccination requirements.

Victoria’s vaccination guidelines advise that people should be vaccinated once they have recovered from COVID-19. People who have recovered from acute illness associated with COVID-19 can get vaccinated safely with an approved vaccine. An acute major medical condition may be a reason for a temporary vaccine exemption.

These conditions include severe acute illnesses or major surgery, all of which require hospitalisation.

A permanent medical exemption can only be issued if a patient has a contraindication to all COVID-19 vaccines available for use in Australia.

The TA statement came after a strong public backlash to the idea that Australian Open organisers would have separate criteria to determine medical exemptions for professional players.

Organisers repeated that entry requirements applied to everyone. “All players, patrons and staff at the Australian Open have to be vaccinated,” the spokesperson said.

“The safety of everyone is always our priority as we plan for Australian Open 2022 and all lead-in events.”

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