While the last grand slam of the year is on the go, many are still wondering why Novak Djokovic is not participating. While some say his refusal to get the Covid vaccine has cost him another title, others are protesting he should have been allowed to play, as the law regarding vaccine policy is changing in most countries. Moreover, the future of tennis is at stake, as one of the best players of all times can´t participate in important tournaments, not because he is injured, but because he firmly defends his beliefs. Deportation From Australia Needless to say, Djokovic´s denial to get vaccinated had already cost him a lot. The 35-year-old athlete had entered Australia on January 6 with a medical exemption from COVID-19 vaccination, and a valid visa, however for some reason the Australian government argued that he represented a threat to public health. After being held at Melbourne airport for many hours, he was first asked to leave but was later placed in a center for asylum seekers while his legal team prepared a lawsuit against his denial of entry. Djokovic won the first appeal because his medical exemption was in order, but a few days later three judges of the Federal Court of Australia dismissed his appeal and his defense argument that the authorities’ reasons to deport him were “invalid and illogical”, and gave the reason for the Australian government to cancel his visa for the second time, so he got deported and couldn´t defend the title he had won 9 times. Novak or NoVax? Djokovic has always been publicly skeptical of the vaccine ever since the pandemics started, and it is understood that the reason he was denied access to the tournament by regional authorities in Victoria was because he failed to submit proof of vaccination. The scandal became a global media sensation and Djokovic’s actions have drawn criticism of all kinds at a time when many countries were struggling to increase their vaccination rates. Novak´s attitude towards the vaccines has always been pretty clear: “I am personally against vaccines and I would not want anyone to force me to get one in order to be able to travel”, he said in a live chat, two years ago. While many criticize Novak and find his behavior irresponsible, many others support him as a fighter for freedom and human rights. In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Novak clarified that he should not be associated with the anti-vax movement, but he supports the individual right to choose whether to inject something in our bodies, or not. Not All Is Bad News Although Novak couldn´t play at the Australian Open, or the US open this year, he did manage to participate in Rolland-Garros and also succeeded in becoming the champion of Wimbledon for the seventh time. It is also true that he couldn´t participate in ATP Indian Wells, or Miami Masters tournament either. In Asia, however, Djokovic was allowed to play for the first time after the deportation scandal, and participated in ATP 500 Dubai tournament. At online casinos known in Thailand as คาสิโนออนไลน์, for example, you can bet on all sports, competitions and leagues, including tennis. As sports betting is a huge tradition in Thailand, gone are the days of going to underground bookmakers to place your bets. Now you can bet on Muay Thai, tennis and football without even leaving your home. Once a Champion, Always a Champion The real success is to be able to survive among the top 10 tennis players on the ATP list, while being deprived of the right to defend or win points throughout the season. Novak Djokovic is doing it right now and it wouldn’t be surprising if, despite his absence from the Australian Open and the US Open, where he was severely damaged in points due to his absence, he is still standing steady. What would happen if – we can only guess what the situation would be now on the ATP list, and what kind of trophy balance Novak would have had he not been administratively hindered this season. For the time being, the Serbian ace has 4,770 points, is in sixth position and there are real chances that he will drop out of the top 10 by the end of the year. Regardless of Novak´s vaccination status, the sad thing is that his situation was heavily conditioned by administrative decisions and not by his performance on the court. Word count: 752