‘Why should I get the vaccine?’: Novak Djokovic refuses to apologize

Jul 10, 2026; London, United Kingdom; Novak Djokovic of Serbia during his semifinal match against Jannik Sinner of Italy on day 12 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images

Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic made a rather high-profile decision not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, causing him to miss multiple high-profile tournaments throughout the world as a result of vaccine mandates. Years later, it sounds like he has no regrets.

During a recent interview for his new documentary, Djokovic refused to apologize for his decision as he reaffirmed his “decision to choose” whether or not to receive the vaccine.

Djokovic Refused Vaccine

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments throughout the world began instituting vaccine mandates for foreign visitors. This included the United States and Australia.

While the vast majority of players on the ATP World Tour elected to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Djokovic was a high-profile holdout as he continually refused to receive the vaccine.

Djokovic’s decision caused him to miss several high-profile tennis tournaments. This included two Grand Slams, as he missed the Australian Open and the US Open in 2022. He also missed Indian Wells in both 2022 and 2023, the Miami Open in 2022 and 2023, the Canadian Open in 2022, and the Cincinnati Masters in 2022.

Djokovic Defends the Decision

This week, Djokovic was featured in a high-profile documentary called Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter, which told the story of the tennis legend emerging from war-torn Serbia to become perhaps the most accomplished star in the history of the sport.

During the documentary, Djokovic was asked about the controversial decision to refuse the COVID-19 vaccine, and he made it clear that he has no regrets.

“Because I didn’t need it,” Djokovic said in the documentary. “Why should I get the vaccine? I’m healthy, I’m an athlete. I had corona. I had immunity. I wasn’t a threat to anyone. There was no reason for me to get vaccinated. It’s my freedom to choose which that fundamental right that you have as a human being on this planet — the freedom to choose — which was taken from a lot of people.”

The decision likely impacted Djokovic’s career accomplishments as it cost him a few chances to win high-profile tournaments at the height of his career. But even years later, it seems like he does not regret the choice that he made.

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