He gets broken. Novak Djokovic, whose Australian lawyers claim this Saturday that he tested positive on December 16, attended the next day, without a mask, in Belgrade, a ceremony in honor of young Serbian players, according to a publication of the Federation Belgrade Tennis Club on Facebook.
In a press release released on December 17 at the end of the day, the Belgrade Tennis Federation announced on its Facebook page that “the best tennis player on the planet” and “holder of 20 Grand Slam titles” presented cups and diplomas to young players. “Only the rewarded children attended the presentation of the cups which took place in the Novak tennis center” in Belgrade “due to health measures linked to the coronavirus pandemic”, y lit-on.
The publication contains several photos of Djokovic posing with federation officials and around 20 teenagers, all without masks. An event that can also be found on the publications on the social networks of young people present at that time:
There’s more:
On December 17th, the day *after* Djokovic’s purported positive PCR test on December 16th, Djokovic attended an award ceremony for children at the Novak Tennis Center.
Many posts from the kids there posing for pictures with him that day, again masklessly indoors. pic.twitter.com/2ecOSwA7lU
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 8, 2022
“The president of the Belgrade Tennis Federation, Milan Slavkovic, presented Novak Djokovic with an icon for everything he has achieved in tennis, in sport in general, for all the successes and generosity he has shown on a daily basis around the world, continues the text. Most of the Serbian media reported on this ceremony on December 17.
Djokovic also attended the day before – the day of his positive test – another public event: the presentation of a tribute stamp bearing his effigy by the Serbian post. He himself posted a photo of it on Instagram.
It is not yet known if the tennis player was aware of his positive test on December 17, and if he had any symptoms when he was sick. But even if he didn’t, he could still transmit the disease.
Djokovic traveled to Australia in midweek after being granted a medical exemption from vaccination requirements to compete in the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the season, but his visa was canceled upon arrival and he has since been in a detention center in Melbourne awaiting the examination of his appeal on Monday morning.
This 2022 edition of the Australian Open has historic significance for the world number 1: he would seek a historic 21st Grand Slam crown there, which would allow him to overtake his two historic rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.