The eight-time Australian Open champion, Novak Djokovic, is preparing another assault on the Melbourne crown, hoping to defend the ATP Cup title for Serbia and win his 18th main title two weeks later. Novak is serving a two-week quarantine in Adelaide alongside Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem, which is totally different from Melbourne, where the rest of the Australian Open competitors are gathered.
Novak is spending the prescribed time on the training ground before returning to his room, maintaining his fitness, reading and talking to his Serbian fans who are gathered below his balcony. Novak is aware that he is privileged compared to those who quarantine him in Melbourne and cannot leave the room for two weeks.
“There has been a big debate in the last few weeks as to whether players should come or not. Many cannot reunite with their families and are still waiting for permission to come to Australia. We are receiving this special permission to be here, quarantined and then participating in the Australian tennis summer is a privilege and we were lucky.
My heart is with all the people who suffer; I hope all this goes by quickly and that we will be free again soon. I love being in Australia, it’s a sports country. The amount of passion and love for sports in Australia is impressive.
Novak Djokovic talked about his bubble in Adelaide.
I can’t wait to go out and start competing in front of the Australian crowd. We want, in a way, to feel welcome here. I understand the frustration of the people here, and Australian citizens cannot go home.
I am grateful to be here. I hope that all of us together can have at least some good times on the tennis courts in Adelaide and Melbourne. I hope that we can bring some positive energy and joy to people. The first thing I’m going to do on Friday morning, I’m going to run straight to the park and spend an hour there; I miss being free and being able to walk around.
There have been some children with their families spending these days in front of the porch, playing tennis and dancing. Honestly, it has been a wonderful experience so far for me to be quarantined. It has been different, obviously.
Nobody likes to be locked in a room for 14 days, but at the same time, we were very lucky compared to the guys from Melbourne. Stay more hours outside and on the court and have a balcony and some fresh air. So I can’t complain, “said Novak Djokovic.