Australian Open: Novak Djokovic proposes NBA-like bubble as ‘majority of players’ won’t tolerate Covid-19 quarantines
- World number one said hotel lockdowns ‘definitely not good’ and proposes immediate discussions for one-venue bubbles
- Djokovic stresses current model’s mental and physical toll and says he has received complaints from other players
Novak Djokovic has claimed the “majority” of tennis players are opposed to playing on tour this season if quarantining before tournaments becomes the norm.
Djokovic, 33, is battling an abdominal injury and he pointed to problems that have affected the likes of Rafael Nadal, Matteo Berrettini and Grigor Dimitrov during their time in Australia.
He is proposing, casually for now, that tennis considers a bubble system whereby one venue stages a string of tournaments, meaning players would not have to travel from country to country and each time need to abide by different Covid-19 rules.
“I don’t want to sit here and complain about what we have been through, but we have to be honest and realistic that it has an effect on the physical well-being of players,” Djokovic said.
“Of course, also mental, emotional, but physically this is not normal. We are hoping that it’s temporary.
“But talking to a lot of players, the majority just don’t want to go ahead with the season if we are going to have to quarantine most of the tournaments. So this is something that should be discussed, as of now.”
Djokovic is a former president of the ATP player council, resigning before last year’s US Open to lead the breakaway Professional Tennis Players Association.
The 17-time major winner may be a divisive figure to some, but he is determined to be involved in the big decisions.
He said he had held conversations with members of the player council, who in turn had spoken to ATP management.
“I’m waiting for some answers. I want to understand how our continuation of the season post-Australia is going to look like, because this definitely is not good for players in terms of their well-being.”
He said players had turned out for the Australian Open because of the large prize money, tolerating the fortnight in quarantine because of the subsequent rewards, but said prize money cuts at other tournaments would make many think twice.
There have been “a lot of complaints” from lower-ranked players, Djokovic said.
“Select one place and we play all the tournaments on that surface and that place. Three, four weeks in, three, four, two, three weeks’ rest, then back again. Something like that.”
Djokovic offered no suggestion players would consider skipping the grand slams that remain in 2021 – the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
But he said: “We also have to be realistic that what we are experiencing here in Australia is far better than what most of Europe is going through in terms of restrictions and rules and regulations and quarantines, et cetera. And most of the season will continue on in Europe, actually.”
He says players can cope with being away from family, if rules are implemented to mean player entourages must be small, but hotel room quarantines are another matter.
“I don’t know how we’re gonna handle that, honestly. But we have to address this very quickly, I mean, because the season has already started.”
Djokovic, meanwhile, moves on to a clash with qualifier Aslan Karatsev, the 27-year-old Russian revelation of the tournament, in the last four on Thursday.
