Djokovic, who’s unvaccinated, was deported from Australia after an 11-day rollercoaster expertise involving two visa cancellations, two courtroom challenges and 5 nights in two stints at an immigration detention lodge the place asylum seekers are held.

“Yes, that is the price that I’m willing to pay,” the 34-year-old Serbian instructed the BBC, including that he was conscious that he wouldn’t be capable to journey to most tournaments on the earth at the moment due to his unvaccinated standing.

The 20-times main champion is ready to return to aggressive motion at an ATP event in Dubai subsequent week for the primary time since he was deported forward of the Australian Open, the 12 months’s first tennis Grand Slam.

Another win at Melbourne Park, the place Djokovic has gained 9 titles, may have taken him to a males’s file 21 main titles, however as a substitute it was his long-time rival Rafa Nadal who nudged forward by lifting the trophy final month.

Djokovic mentioned he was able to sacrifice his shot on the milestone over the “freedom of choice” however he was holding an open thoughts about taking the jab sooner or later.

“I was never against vaccination,” he mentioned, including that he took vaccines as a toddler. “But I’ve at all times supported the liberty to decide on what you set in your physique.

“I understand that globally, everyone is trying to put a big effort into handling this virus and seeing, hopefully, an end soon to this virus.”