In world tennis there is currently only one topic: Novak Djokovic‘s appearance before the Australian Open. Hardly anyone speaks about the other players. That annoys ex-Wimbledon winner Michael Stich.
Will Novak Djokovic play or not? That’s the big question before the Australian Open. Even after a week, the farce about the participation of the world number one in the first Grand Slam tournament of the year is not over (Read the whole chronology of the “Djokovic case” again here).
Four days before the start of the tournament, the Serb is still in Melbourne, is preparing for its controversial start at the Australian Open and already got his first opponent drawn. But there is still a big question mark behind the start of the current number one in the world.
The tremendous vortex continues and the first Grand Slam tournament in 2022 is already overshadowed by the political issue. The Down Under government postponed the decision to withdraw the residence permit of the 34-year-old Serb once again on Thursday. And while the expulsion from Australia continues, the lack of understanding is growing louder in the tennis scene.
In addition to numerous active professionals, the German tennis icon Michael Stich is now also speaking. The 1991 Wimbledon winner is bothered by the fact that Djokovic is almost the only thing that is discussed in public and that most of the other players hardly exist in the media before the start of the Australian Open. “That’s the big mistake: the world doesn’t talk about tennis, it talks about Novak Djokovic. These are two completely different pairs of shoes,” the 53-year-old told the “Spiegel”.
Stitch incomprehension
In this context, Stich expressed “a lack of understanding for Djokovic’s actions, but also a lack of understanding of how those responsible proceed”. By that he means the organizer Tennis Australia, the Australian state of Victoria, the Australian federal authorities and the ATP players’ union. “Basically, there was a lack of understanding of the actions of all those involved,” specified Stich. There are so many “contradicting things” that there is no avoiding “interpreting instead of being based on facts.”
He specifically mentioned the entry requirements for the tournament in Australia. “The rules about who can and can’t participate were obviously not clear enough. Had there been very clear rules that only vaccinated players were allowed to participate, the whole debate would not have been had,” said Stich and added: “And if so there were once clear rules like the December 10th deadline, by which everyone had to submit their requests for exception, then they were watered down. ” In the meantime, the story is so politicized that “respect for all the other professionals” is being lost.
Stich doubts Djokovic’s credibility
“Sometimes I have the feeling that today’s generation is so out for records that you have to be careful not to forget that no player is bigger than the sport itself,” continued Stich. He also found it difficult to believe the Serbian’s statements in connection with his corona-related entry problems.
“It is of course possible that an employee ticks the wrong cross. But especially now, in times of Corona, something like this shouldn’t happen. The statement that he had no symptoms and that he attended the interview so as not to disappoint the journalist, To be honest, I think it’s unbelievable – and Djokovic’s person doesn’t correspond either, “explained Stich.
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