Djokovic Scores Some “Points” With Ukraine

The controversial start of the year for Novak Djokovic does not stop giving us surprises. The Serbian tennis player now stands out with a different facet from sports, extolling his great sense of understanding of the situation that Eastern Europe and the world in general are experiencing. This after his prohibition to participate in the first Grand Slam of the year and his discreet participation in the Dubai Tournament, which would end his uninterrupted reign of more than two years as number 1 in the ranking and would leave Daniil Medvedev as his successor.

The outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine has generated great resonance throughout the planet, different voices have spoken out against these manifestations of violence that have left multiple casualties and incalculable damage; a circumstance that is not foreign to sport and has as its protagonist the winner of 20 Grand Slams.

The wave of civilian volunteers who are joining the territorial defense of Ukraine has generated a massive resistance that has prevented the Russian invasion, many of these have been, among other celebrities, great athletes from the country, such as the renowned former tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky, located in the middle of the battlefront over the capital Kiev. Stakhovsky, who would leave professional activity at the beginning of the year, showed the great gesture of 'Nole' when he published the conversation he had with him on his social networks, where the Serbian made it clear that he offered different kinds of help for the various needs now exposed by the Ukrainian population.

Djokovic, one of the biggest sports stars of the time, is also considered one of the standard-bearers against the coronavirus vaccination. His position, in addition to numerous criticisms, has also had shocking consequences for his career. The deportation from Australia, leaving him without defending his Australian Open title, as well as the recent decision by US health authorities to deny him entry to the country, have affected his participation in the next tournaments on the tour, including the Indian Wells and the Miami Open. Determinations that, inevitably, affect his ranking and possibly his performance on the court, as could be seen after the end of his reign as number 1 in the world in the Dubai Tournament, presenting a blurred 'Nole' in what would be his first competition of the year.

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The scourge of the vaccine

However, given the Serbian tennis player's resistance to getting vaccinated, the scenario of uncertainty posed by Djokovic's sports career seems to predict a good outcome in France with Roland Garros. The European country opened the possibility of not requiring proof of vaccination against the coronavirus to enter the country from this March 14. Undoubtedly great news for tennis fans who plan to see the current champion defend the title in the most important tournament on clay in the world.

Novak's different actions this year have put him in the eye of the world, from the scandalous decision against vaccines to the noble gesture with his fellow Ukrainian tennis player have promoted endless opinions that have generated conflicting perspectives. On the one hand , he is one of the few players on the circuit who is missing the most important tournaments. However, it is also one of those that has managed to most impact athletes so that they contribute to the aftermath of the war in Ukraine, as happened with the British tennis player Andy Murray, who declared that he will donate all his earnings in awards this year.