'Even if Novak Djokovic got knocked down...', says former Top 5

After a 2020 where he has been repeatedly 'victim' of accusations and heavy attacks for his off-pitch behavior, even in 2021 the situation does not seem to change for world number one Novak Djokovic. The Serbian champion, in Australia to face the quarantine in the city of Adelaide, wrote a letter to the organizers of the tournament publishing certain requests for equal rights of tennis players in Australia. In particular, Nole asked for a list of things for the 72 tennis players confined to Melbourne hotel rooms after the positives on flights to Abu Dhabi and Las Vegas. These requests were not appreciated by members of the Australian government and many accused the Serbian champion. Once again the circuit was divided between those who appreciated the Serbian's intentions and those who attacked him again. The first Grand Slam tournament of 2021 will start on February 8th, but there have already been the first controversies. Swiss professional Belinda Bencic is one of the first and few to stand against the Australian Open 2021 organizers. Now, one week after being locked inside her hotel room, she has opened up on the entire fiasco, supporting Novak Djokovic.

Bencic praises Novak Djokovic

“Regarding the group that is in Adelaide, I can understand,” Belinda Bencic said. “They are the best, those who do the most for our sport.” While agreeing to their special treatment, the former No. 4 pointed out what’s actually wrong in this scenario. “Craig Tiley has also defended this position that they have earned the right to be treated this way. It’s okay with me. But on condition that we stop proclaiming everywhere that we support equal treatment,” the Swiss player explained. Moving ahead, World No. 11 also revealed the unfairness of room allocation in the official hotels. She has one more week to go in the same tiresome conditions. “On the other hand, I find it more difficult to live with the fact that in official hotels, some have large rooms, others small. Me, I received a bicycle, others did not. All of this is not fair,” said Bencic. “I would like to salute the position taken by Novak Djokovic,” she added. “Even if he got knocked down, he is the only one of the privileged to have moved for us.” Recently, three people linked to the Australian Open 2021 tested positive for a new mutant strain of COVID-19. Two of the three people who have tested positive are in their thirties, while the remaining one is in his fifties. All three of them are males and have been infected with a UK mutant coronavirus strain.

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