Michael Stich - statements by Djokovic "implausible"
Former Wimbledon winner Michael Stich considers Novak Djokovic's statements for his behavior after his corona infection to be "implausible".
by SID
last edit:
Jan 13, 2022, 04:35 pm
The Serbian tennis star, who is currently at risk of having his visa withdrawn in Melbourne shortly before the start of the Australian Open, took part in an interview with French journalists in December despite knowing about a positive PCR test. "Since he otherwise always plans everything very precisely, it just doesn't fit into the picture that you have of him," said Stich to the mirror.
On Wednesday, Djokovic described his participation in the appointment as a "misjudgment", saying that he simply did not want to let the journalists of the French sports newspaper L'Equipe down - even though he had tested positive for the corona virus two days earlier. Stich considers this justification "to be honest, implausible - and Djokovic's person does not correspond either".
Stich canceled interviews
"As a former tennis professional, I can only say that it is usually not particularly difficult to cancel an interview," said the 53-year-old: "You don't really think about whether you will disappoint someone with your own decision . "
In addition to the violation of the world's number one against the isolation regulations in his home country Serbia, a false statement in the entry documents to Australia had become known. According to Djokovic, his management was responsible for the mistake. Here, too, Stich "has a hard time believing the reasoning," as he said: "It is of course possible that an employee makes the wrong cross. But especially now, in times of Corona, something like this shouldn't happen."
In general, the confused situation around the entry of the Grand Slam record winner at Stich "basically causes a lack of understanding about the actions of all those involved", from Djokovic to the Tennis Australia Association to the authorities. The story is meanwhile "so politicized that respect for all the other professionals who compete in Melbourne is lost," said Stich annoyed: "We are only talking about one person."
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