Contemporary off celebrating spouse Novak Djokovic’s gain in the Wimbledon final, Jelena Djokovic has become embroiled in an online slanging match soon after notable tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg termed her partner an ‘anti-vax poster boy.’
Djokovic has been one particular of the world’s most high-profile Covid-19 vaccination resisters, and was deported from Australia ahead of the Open in January when the federal govt resolved he could stoke ‘anti-vaccine sentiment’.
Following Djokovic’s earn in the Wimbledon men’s remaining, Rothenberg asked him irrespective of whether he would get vaccinated shortly in order to compete in the US Open in August.
Novak Djokovic and wife Jelena at the Wimbledon Champions supper on July 10
‘You do nonetheless have time to get vaccinated prior to New York to make it in time for the US. Is that some thing you’ve entirely closed your intellect to as an solution likely forward?’ requested Rothenberg in the publish-match push convention.
Djokovic’s reply was potent and succinct: ‘Yes.’
Rothenberg then took to Twitter to label the star Serb an ‘anti-vax poster boy’ who has played in his last Grand Slam for the calendar year, unless of course there is a ‘swift modify in US immigration law’.
Novak Djokovic (centre) kisses wife Jelena Djokovic following successful the Wimbledon closing
Jelena failed to choose way too kindly Rothenberg’s description of her husband and kicked off the very community on the internet stoush by taking difficulty with the description.
‘Excuse me. Just building positive that it is mentioned that YOU tagged him as antivax poster boy for no matter what explanation you have. He basically responded what HIS physique preference is,’ she wrote in reply.
Djokovic has earlier explained he would rather give up the prospect to contend for trophies than get vaccinated – some thing Rothenberg pointed to when describing why he was, in point, an ‘anti-vax poster boy.’.
Novak Djokovic hits from the baseline through his four-established earn over Nick Kyrgios in the last
‘I fully grasp that it’s his choice, but I also am declaring that his final decision to be so firmly towards the vaccines that it limitations his capacity to play tournaments has created him, unwittingly or not, into a huge icon of the anti-vax motion,’ wrote Rothenberg.
‘I noticed this pretty obviously throughout Australia.’
That only appeared to anger Jelena further more.
‘You are making a pretty judgmental narrative that fits your agenda. He is only deciding upon what is most effective for his body. If he is not participating in due to the fact of making that preference, he is high-quality with it,’ she wrote.
Jelena Djokovic watches partner Novak receive the Wimbledon trophy with daughter Tara
Novak Djokovic reported in February that he was not ‘anti-vaccination’ but somewhat just ‘pro freedom of choice’ in an interview with the BBC.
‘I’ve always supported the liberty to pick what you set in your body,’ Djokovic said.
‘I fully grasp not being vaccinated today, I am unable to travel to most of the tournaments at the instant. That is the value that I am prepared to shell out.’
Rothenberg mentioned he could ‘accept’ persons becoming ‘judgemental’, but thinks ‘every citizen, in particular general public figures, experienced a obligation to act responsibly with community wellbeing steps and messaging for the duration of the pandemic’.
Jelena Djokovic looking at on before in the event
Novak Djokovic holds the Wimbledon trophy aloft immediately after his gain more than Nick Kyrgios in the ultimate
Jelena ended the on the internet spat with a scathing reply, suggesting Rothenberg was ‘also an influential figure’ who shouldn’t ‘continuously disappoint’.
‘Thank you for sharing your beliefs. I hope you don’t get judged for them. Or develop into a poster boy for hatred and bullying. You never ever know,’ she wrote.
The Usa needs any foreigners to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to enter the country.
With the US Open because of to start on August 29, Djokovic would will need to promptly modify his beliefs, or hope for some variety of miraculous legislation adjust.
Djokovic (still left centre) was joined by the likes of Alex Zverev and Dominic Thiem for a get together in a nightclub next the completion of the Adria Tour occasion in 2020
Djokovic has generally experienced a rather unorthodox technique to his health, when spouse Jelena was formerly hit with a false data warning on Facebook around a 5G write-up she shared, linking the towers to the pandemic.
Then came the Adria Tour, a collection of exhibitions all over the Balkans in 2020, which showed scant disregard for Covid limitations.
Amid nightclub carousing and near quarters video games of basketball several of its contributors – including Djokovic and his spouse – examined constructive for the virus.
