Unvaccinated players are not barred from participating in Wimbledon, clearing the path for Novak Djokovic to defend his men’s singles title in June.
The CEO of All England Lawn Tennis Club, Sally Bolton, said the tournament would not mandate vaccination against COVID-19, adding participants are not required to quarantine on arrival ahead of the tournament.
“The requirements set up do not include mandatory vaccination,” Bolton said. “It will not be a condition of entry for the championships this year.”
Wimbledon begins June 27, when Djokovic has a shot at becoming a seven-time champion on the grass court, Reuters reports.
Djokovic was in Australia and even practiced on the court after being sent to a quarantine hotel in a litigious tug of war with the top officials in the country. The Serbian ultimately was sent home because of his unvaccinated status.
The matter played out in the court system as Australian officials flagged Djokovic for breaking quarantine prior to his arrival and submitting inaccurate documentation to receive an exemption to play in the January event.
Djokovic, 34, is seeking his 21st major championship, and is currently one behind Rafael Nadal with 20 Grand Slam titles.
