Players divided on vaccination rules and it could explode ahead of the Australian Open

A softening stance towards letting unvaccinated players in for the Australian Open is creating a stir among the playing ranks.

A war could be brewing over the vaccination status of players ahead of the Australian Open, with Aussie veteran and ATP Player Council member John Millman declaring unvaccinated players should be able to compete in Melbourne.

Millman, who is in Russia and has been playing tennis across the globe since January, said the ATP had been actively encouraging the player cohort to be vaccinated but wouldn’t issue a mandate.

But 23 time Grand Slam champion and Victoria’s Australian of the Year nominee, wheelchair star Dylan Alcott, said it was incumbent on players to get vaccinated because it was “about protecting others”.

The waters have been muddied by differing federal and state government policies, which continue to cast a cloud over the Australian Open involvement of defending champion Novak Djokovic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and other federal ministers have opened the door for unvaccinated players to play, should they apply for visa exemptions and do 14 days quarantine on arrival

But Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said he won’t seek an exemption for the unvaccinated players to be allowed into Melbourne.

Australian gold medallist Dylan Alcott wants everyone to be vaccinated to play the Australian Open/ Picture: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Millman said the tour would not mandate vaccination, but up to 70 per cent of players had received their jab.

He said he was “pro vaccination” but didn’t want those who refused to be vaccinated denied the chance to play the Australian Open.

“I’m all for getting the jab. I’ve had it over here and I’m feeling good,” Millman told 3AW.

“But I do want to see an opportunity for all the players to be able to play tennis, whether that be unvaccinated people having to go in and do the 14 days hard quarantine, like we’ve seen throughout the year – people returning back home who’ve been unvaccinated do. I’d like to see them at least have that opportunity.

“It is encouraging that those who are vaccinated can come in and play the Australian Open, definitely.”

Allcott, who won the Golden Slam this year, all four tennis majors plus Paralympics gold, took a view more in line with the Victorian government.

Novak Djokovic won’t reveal his vaccination status. Picture: David Gray / AFP

“I’m double-vaxxed and I think a lot of people in the community should be double-vaxxed to protect the people in our community who need protection,” he told the ABC.

“It’s not just about protecting you and I, it’s about protecting the people who might be immunocompromised.”

Djokovic has refused to reveal his vaccination status, declaring it a “personal issue”.

Millman said it was also hard for some players to take the time necessary to get both doses of the vaccination given the unending tennis schedule.

“We’re in a different country every week,” he said.

“If you are like myself, for example, it’s very hard to come across the vaccine, especially early on (when they became available this year).

“You have to be a citizen of the country. There is a queue like in every other country. Like back home in Australia, there is a queue to register to get the vaccination. They’re not just giving them out willy-nilly to non-citizens.

“I think players are looking for a slight break in the schedule.

“There’s tournaments for just about 46, 47 weeks of the year.

“The next day (after a vaccination) a lot of people you do feel a bit crook. You have the dead arm for three days. There’s that timing factor of marrying that vaccination up with a small break in the schedule.”