Djoković traveled from Melbourne to Belgrade via Dubai. The first episode was on board the Emirates airline, and after a transfer in Asia, it flew on a Fly Dubai aircraft. During the trip, during the transfer, Novak took pictures with the fans. At the airport in Serbia, he also did not avoid taking photos, although only at the airport. Nikola Tesla.
He waited on the plane, then got backup
Videos from the plane reached the public space. You can see that they were recorded a little hidden. Novak was calm, he was looking at something on the phone, after landing, he patiently waited for other passengers to leave the plane. He wasn’t going to jostle down the aisle. Then he left and soon drove the car home. He lives in the so-called New Belgrade. In the city, neon signs supporting the player were displayed on the buildings, including “Novak, you are our pride”.
Another bad news fell on Novak on Monday. After tightening vaccination requirements in France, tennis players’ participation in the French Open will be dependent on it. The National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament, after two weeks of discussions, passed a law transforming a health passport into a vaccine passport.
Following the entry into force of these regulations, presenting a negative coronavirus test result will not be enough to access sports facilities and events, as confirmed on Twitter by French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu. Previously, she spoke completely differently. In the tone that Djoković will be able to participate in the French International Championship, but on slightly different principles, functioning in a bubble.
– The obligation to have a vaccine passport when entering the stadium applies to both fans and players, French and foreigners – Maracineanu has now written.
Problems with sponsors
Djokovic may have a big problem now because his main sponsors – Lacoste and Peugeot – are French companies. Novak is their biggest locomotive during Roland Garros. In the current situation, when his starting possibilities in Paris will be limited – let us remind you that in the previous season he won not only the French Open, but also the autumn event in Bercy – the situation will be very complicated for the leader of the ATP ranking. In this situation, its functioning on the tennis market may not be possible at all. In some ways, his position may be reminiscent of the situation with Maria Sharapova. The Russian woman was accused of accepting unauthorized assistance, and the companies she cooperated with largely turned their backs on her. Now the situation is similar, but also different. Sharapova could not start because she was taking certain substances, and he cannot because she does not want to take them.
Until the end of the Australian Open, Novak said he would not be answering questions. It also happened at the airport in Belgrade. He kept his word and was silent.
See what Novak Djokovic’s journey home was like.
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