Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Motorsports
  • Tennis

Nick Kyrgios drops support for unvaccinated players

by Reuters

MELBOURNE Nov 16, 2021 - 1:30 pm GMT+3
Nick Kyrgios returns a shot against Roberto Bautista Agut during a U.S. Open tennis match in New York, U.S., Aug. 30, 2021. (AP Photo)
Nick Kyrgios returns a shot against Roberto Bautista Agut during a U.S. Open tennis match in New York, U.S., Aug. 30, 2021. (AP Photo)
by Reuters Nov 16, 2021 1:30 pm
RECOMMENDED
Croatia's Borna Coric returns the ball during his match against Austria's Dominic Thiem, during their Davis Cup qualifying tennis match between Croatia and Austria, Rijeka, Croatia, Feb. 5, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Croatia cruises into Davis Cup as Coric slams Thiem

TENNIS

Australia's often controversial and sharp-tongued star Nick Kyrgios walked back from his support of unvaccinated athletes hours after calling for the cancelation of the Australian Open, saying that allowing unvaccinated players to participate in the event would not be "morally right."

The 26-year-old generated headlines in Australia on Tuesday after calling for his home Grand Slam to be canceled and saying it was "morally wrong" to force athletes to get vaccinated.

Australian government officials have said unvaccinated players will be barred from the tournament in January, casting doubt on whether men's world number one and reigning champion Novak Djokovic will defend his title.

Later on Tuesday, Kyrgios said his comments had been taken out of context.

"To say that I'd want the Australian Open canceled, I think that was the sentence that got taken out of context," he said in a video on his Instagram account.

"It's more so for the people of Melbourne who have gone through hell and back.

"I think it's been... nearly 300 days of lockdown and your freedom has been, you know, taken away from you.

"I don't think it's morally right to accept players from overseas that aren't vaccinated to come into our country," said Kyrgios.

Australian Open host Melbourne has had the most cumulative days locked down of any Australian city since the coronavirus outbreak began.

Kyrgios, ranked world number 90, said on his podcast that he was "double-vaxxed" but didn't think it was right to force anyone, let alone athletes, to get vaccinated.

"(NBA player) Kyrie (Irving), Novak (Djokovic), these guys have given so much, sacrificed so much," he said.

"They're global athletes who millions of people look up to and I just feel like it's so morally wrong to force someone to get vaxxed.

"There's other solutions around it."

Brooklyn Nets point guard Irving has refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine in defiance of New York City's mandate.

Serbian Djokovic has repeatedly declined to disclose his vaccination status and said last month he did not know if he would play the Australian Open, "things being as they are."

The sports minister of Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, was confused by Kyrgios's comments but reiterated that unvaccinated players would be banned from the tournament along with unvaccinated fans and staff.

"I really like Nick Kyrgios and I cheer for him every time he plays and I certainly don't want to have beef with Nick Kyrgios but I actually couldn't follow the logic of his comments," minister Martin Pakula said.

"We've had a long lockdown so the Australian Open shouldn't proceed I'm not sure I follow that," he said and added: "I think the opposite applies."

"Melburnians, Victorians and, frankly all Australians, are absolutely gagging for major events."

RECOMMENDED
Croatia's Borna Coric returns the ball during his match against Austria's Dominic Thiem, during their Davis Cup qualifying tennis match between Croatia and Austria, Rijeka, Croatia, Feb. 5, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Croatia cruises into Davis Cup as Coric slams Thiem

TENNIS
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Nov 16, 2021 3:09 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    austalian open nick kyrgios novak djokovic covid-19 outbreak coronavirus tennis
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Rescue teams gather in Istanbul Airport to head to zones hit by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in southeastern Türkiye. (DHA Photo)

    Condolences messages pour for victims of quake in SE Türkiye

    earthquake
    No Image

    Want to help earthquake victims in Türkiye? Here's how 

    earthquake-in-türkiye

    Earthquakes in Türkiye moved Anatolia up to 10 meters: Seismologist

    türkiye

    Death toll from deadly quakes in Türkiye surpasses 9,000

    türkiye
    No Image
    Arabian sand gazelles stroll around under the desert sunset
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021