Novak Djokovic says he'd rather miss more Grand Slams than get a COVID-19 vaccination

• Novak Djokovic is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and said he has no plans to be inoculated.
• He told the BBC he was willing to miss more Grand Slams if they mean he has to get vaccinated.

The world number one tennis star Novak Djokovic said he was willing to miss more Grand Slam tournaments if it meant he had to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Speaking to the BBC this week, Djokovic confirmed once again that he had not been vaccinated, and said he has no immediate plans to take a COVID-19 vaccine.

If that meant missing more major tournaments, he said, that was a "price that I'm willing to pay."

Djokovic already missed one Grand Slam, the 2022 Australian Open, because of his lack of vaccination, and could be forced to miss more, including the French Open in May.

"The principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. I'm trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can," Djokovic said.

Djokovic has won 20 Grand Slams over the course of his career, but was overtaken by Rafael Nadal in the all-time Grand Slam victory table in January when the Spaniard took advantage of Djokovic's Australian Open absence and beat the rising Russian star Daniil Medvedev in the final.

Nadal now has 21 Grand Slams to Djokovic's 20, and as the hot favorite to win a 14th French Open title, looks likely to go two ahead in the all-time standings before the Serbian has even played a Grand Slam in 2022.

Asked by the BBC why he was not vaccinated against COVID-19, Djokovic denied being anti-vaccine but reiterated a long-held view that he should have the right to choose whether or not he is vaccinated.

"I understand and support fully the freedom to choose whether you want to get vaccinated or not," he said. "I was never against vaccination but I've always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body."

He told the BBC that he was vaccinated against some diseases as a child, but did not go into specifics.

The will-he-won't-he saga about Djokovic's participation in the Australian Open in January dominated the sporting news cycle, with the Serbian star ultimately deported from Australia over his lack of vaccination.

Djokovic arrived in Australia with a medical exemption to play in the Australian Open, but was detained upon arrival in Melbourne when authorities said that his exemption — which was granted on the basis of his having had COVID-19 in December — did not allow him entry to the country.

He was held in a quarantine hotel for several days while appealing an initial decision to deport him. He was deported days later after Australia's immigration minister revoked his visa.