World No.1 Novak Djokovic may be reconsidering his COVID-19 anti-vax stance, after missing his chance to claim a record 21st Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open.
Despite contracting the virus at least twice over the past two years, the Serbian superstar has been an outspoken opponent of vaccination and arrived at Melbourne last month with what he believed was a medical exemption to tournament protocols.
By the time federal and state authorities - and the legal system - completed their week-long standoff, Djokovic was on a plane out of Australia without playing a shot on court.
Hoping to edge ahead of archrivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the most Grand Slam men's titles, he was forced to watch Spaniard Nadal break their threeway tie with a sensational five-set comeback victory over Russian Daniil Medvedev in Sunday's singles final.
Now Djokovic's biographer, Daniel Müksch, suggests the tennis ace may backflip on his anti-vax policy, fearing he will lose ground to his opponents, with a wave of young future stars also snapping at their heels.
"From what I have heard from his inner circle, I think Djokovic is being vaccinated," Müksch has told Austrian media outlet Heute. "It's possible that the Australia Open final contributed to that, as well as Rafa Nadal reaching 21 Grand Slam titles - that too could have convinced him to take that step, without any doubt."
While he remains unvaccinated, Djokovic, 34, may be barred from other major tournaments, with the French Open - where he is also defending champion - next on the schedule.
Müksch claims Djokovic will have shrugged off any remaining stigma from his Australian deportation.
"The bad guy image is deeply ingrained in his personality," says Müksch. "There is a phrase of his which says that not all champions were born in rich people's country clubs.
"He doesn't mention any names, but you can guess who he is referring to."
But apparently Djokovic was not happy with how his family - primarily father Srdan - made political capital out of his downunder detention, sparking international friction between Serbian and Australian governments.
"Novak would never go against his father, he was educated that way," he says. "But he didn't like what happened in Belgrade while he was being held in Melbourne."
