Science, sports and politics

Novak Djokovic, a name people would remember forever

Every 20 years, Saturn and Jupiter drift close to each other in perfect conjunction. It’s a rare event. So is the birth of a baby who will grow up to become a sports icon the world will remember forever — the likes of Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, or Mohamed Salah.

Novak Djokovic is one of those icons. As luck would have it, he will most likely be absent from the 2022 US Open Tennis Championships, the last grand slam event of the year, that starts on 29^th August at the Flushing Meadows in New York. He is not allowed entry into the US because he refuses to get jabbed with the Covid vaccine. “Yes, that’s the price I’m willing to pay.”

As we know, viruses are not like snakes or tigers, which can be seen without the aid electron microscope. Viruses, like bacteria, remain elusive. Our lack of medical knowledge adds to the mystery and, at times, misconceptions, especially during a pandemic. Tragically, many of these misapprehensions are fueled by ideological and political divides and perpetuated by the mass media. Myths abound. Does Bill Gates secretly wish to inject the world population with the Covid-19 vaccine so he can implant digital microchips in our bodies to monitor and control us? Does the vaccine turn us into magnets due to 5G? Does the vaccine make us infertile? Does the vaccine even work? Does Covid even exist or is this all a hoax?

More than 6 million people have died globally from the coronavirus pandemic. Between 2020 and 2021, we witnessed protests across the US, mainly from the conservative and far-right groups, against government-imposed lockdowns to control and counter the pandemic. The protestors chanted, “take those masks off, it’s all a lie.” Even celebrities like Robert De Niro and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. questioned the safety of vaccines. A Republican Congresswoman, Marjorie Greene tweeted, “you can’t force people to be part of the human experiment”. However, not all Republicans agreed with her. Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader, implored people to get vaccinated. “We have not one, not two, but three highly effective vaccines, so I’m perplexed by the difficulty we have finishing the job.”

In all fairness to Novak Djokovic, the reason for his refusal to get vaccinated is not motivated by politics; it’s personal. It’s about his freedom of choice. “I was never against vaccination, but I’ve always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body,” he explained. He is finicky about what he puts in his body. His diet is gluten-free, dairy-free, and plant-based, mostly avoiding animal-based products. A sportswriter tried the Djokovic diet for a week, but the experience left him “bored, uninspired, craving a soda.” However, the same experience for the 35-year-old Djokovic has been monumental — it has turned his life around.

As for the Covid vaccine, I think Djokovic has got it all wrong. It’s not about a personal choice. Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes Covid-19 can spread from person to person via droplets that are breathed out by an infected person. Even if we are fit and in flawless physical condition, showing no adverse symptoms even when infected with the coronavirus, it is our civic responsibility to protect those around us especially the ones who are vulnerable and at risk.

It goes without saying that Novak Djokovic, alongside Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, is one of the greatest tennis players of all time (GOAT). He’s arguably the most complete player, the best serve-returner the game has ever seen, a master at groundstrokes with a blistering and often punishing backhand. Unless the law changes or a special exemption is granted to him, his chances to tie Nadal’s record of 22 grand-slam titles are slim this year.

So, who will win the US Open in the absence of Novak Djokovic? Daniil Medvedev is the returning champion and the favourite. Rafael Nadal’s performance is contingent upon his fitness (if it’s not the foot, it’s the abdomen). Alexander Zverev? Carlos Alcaraz?

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2022.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.