Tennis: All Purpose Tennis Thread XIV

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Foppberg

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Okay so could it be that Djokovic's so called exemption was...bullshit?
Apparently his exemption was having Covid in the last 6 months.

Also permission to play in the tournament and enter the country are two different things with different standards.

I was low key looking forward to him playing just for all of Australia to boo him into oblivion. But I also don't think this is the last of it either.

Fully expecting him to play the 'woe is me card' too.
 

kihei

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Okay so could it be that Djokovic's so called exemption was...bullshit?
He received an exemption to play from Victoria, but it was Border Force, a federal agency, that assessed his entry into Australia. Perhaps, they didn't think Victoria's standards were high enough which seems unlikely or more likely they noted discrepancies between his claims and the evidence that he or his team provided in support of his application.
 

kihei

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I thought Nole might claim that he recently had Covid, but then realized that was well over a year ago, like eighteen months, not even close to the allowable six months. So he would not be able to receive an exemption as it was on the basis of his Covid infection. Be interesting to know just what he claimed, but we may never know.
 
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Beau Knows

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A COVID infection claim would at least allow him to save face and get vaccinated before Paris. If he claimed he medically can't get vaccinated it'd be a bad look to show up in France with all his shots.
 

kihei

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From The Guardian, the best summary that I have seen.

Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open hopes dashed after visa cancelled at airport

The Victoria state government said it had refused to formally support Djokovic’s visa application and it was reported that the visa with which he attempted to enter Australia does not allow for exemptions for unvaccinated applicants.

The big question I would have is why did Victoria give him an exemption that it would later not support. What's in the world is the point of an exemption if you are going to fail to support it? Whatever you think of Nole and his machinations, Australia has some egg on its face, too.
 
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Peter Sidorkiewicz

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Okay so could it be that Djokovic's so called exemption was...bullshit?

Apparently his exemption was having Covid in the last 6 months
If that was his exemption, then I agree with Australian Border Force. That’s a bullshit reason for an exemption to be allowed into the country.
From The Guardian, the best summary that I have seen.

Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open hopes dashed after visa cancelled at airport



The big question I would have is why did Victoria give him an exemption that it would later not support. What's in the world is the point of an exemption if you are going to fail to support it? Whatever you think of Nole and his machinations, Australia has some egg on its face, too.
It seems like Tennis Australia f***ed up. They apparently ignored two letters sent by Australian government to Tennis Australia that by having Covid in the past 6 months was not an approved exemption to be allowed into the country, yet they choose to ignore that advice and told Novak to get on a plane anyway. Looks really bad for Tennis Australia.
 

kihei

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Here is a description of the allowable exemption claims. Unless there is something massive we don't know, I don't see what grounds Nole would have had for applying for any of them:

Exemption conditions

"Under the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation's (ATAGI) current guidelines, a medical exemption is granted to individuals who have an 'acute major medical condition (e.g. undergoing major surgery or hospital admission for a serious illness.'
The other remaining grounds for a medical exemption concern people who have suffered a 'serious adverse event attributed to a previous dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, without another cause identified' and a vaccinee who 'is a risk to themselves or others during the vaccination process,' due to an 'underlying developmental or mental health disorder.'
Lastly, exemptions may be given to anyone with a 'PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, where vaccination can be deferred until six months,' and in cases where individuals have received 'anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody or convalescent plasma therapy.'
In June 2020, Djokovic tested positive for coronavirus following an exhibition event he organized in Croatia, but since then there have been no reports of him being re-infected with the virus.
'It's ultimately up to him to discuss with the public his condition if he chooses to do that and the reason why he received his exemption,' Tiley said."---from CNN
 

kihei

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There's a good post on Reddit about it.

Great read, very clearly explained. My favourite bit:

It's like he got a doctors note from doctors in Michigan and then tried to enter the US with the doctors note. The US government asks Michigan "are you cool with this?" and Michigan is like "nah fam we hate the guy."
 
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Novak Djokovic

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I think Novak is extremely dumb when it comes to this whole situation, but at the same time, you have to recognize that his stance regarding vaccines has been present for more than a decade. This is not new or specific to COVID or about government control, etc.. (as opposed to say, Aaron Rodgers)

But whatever Australia decides, I am okay with. Would have been a better look for both him and them if this was decided before he landed in Melbourne. There is a lot on the line from both politics, public health and sport perspective, but PH should triumph the other two.
 
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kihei

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Announcing on social media that he got an exemption was not wise. At worst, that is like crowing "I won" and at best it is like claiming "I am a special unicorn." I don't think it accomplished much but to generate a lot of anger and disgust among Australians.
 
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Announcing on social media that he got an exemption was not wise. At worst, that is like crowing "I won" and at best it is like claiming "I am a special unicorn." I don't think it accomplished much but to generate a lot of anger and disgust among Australians.
We are a stupid country so don’t think it mattered what he said.
 

Tuggy

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Felix beats Zverev in the ATP Cup, after Denis beats Struff. Nice wins. Canada into the SFs!

This win will move Felix back into the top 10.

Leylah out against Swiatek.

Nadal wins his first match of 2022.
 
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MsMeow

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Has he said he had covid in the last 6 months? I know he had it in 2020 but I never saw anything from him saying he tested positive again. Tons of other players have announced that they tested positive.
 

kihei

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Looks like we don't have the same old Felix after all. I owe him an apology. That was a great clutch win.
 
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NJDevs26

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I thought Nole might claim that he recently had Covid, but then realized that was well over a year ago, like eighteen months, not even close to the allowable six months. So he would not be able to receive an exemption as it was on the basis of his Covid infection. Be interesting to know just what he claimed, but we may never know.

It wouldn’t shock me if a known anti vaxxer got COVID a second time
 

kihei

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Such a contrast watching the sparse, fully masked crowd at the ATP Cup after watching all the Bowl games and NFL games with huge crowds and hardly a mask among them. "What me worry?" attitude, I guess.
 

MsMeow

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His mother says he's being kept as a prisoner in a small, immigration hotel.

His uncle says it's the only way to keep him from losing.

His father says Australia dared to attack Serbia to bring it to its knees.

His brother compared Djokovic to Jesus. Who had all this on their Aussie Open bingo card?

I have a feeling he is going to be allowed to play, after all is said and done.
 
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93LEAFS

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His mother says he's being kept as a prisoner in a small, immigration hotel.

His uncle says it's the only way to keep him from losing.

His father says Australia dared to attack Serbia to bring it to its knees.

His brother compared Djokovic to Jesus. Who had all this on their Aussie Open bingo card?

I have a feeling he is going to be allowed to play, after all is said and done.
His dad is nuts.

'We Serbs are a proud European people. Throughout history, we have never attacked anyone, we only defended ourselves,' he said.
'That is what Novak, our pride, our Serb, the pride of the entire free world, is now doing by his behaviour towards hosts and [tournament] organisers across the world, showing what kind of people he comes from.

I believe Serbia is the most recent European country to have an administration convicted of War Crimes related to genocide. It reads like a Milosvic quote circa 1998
 

kihei

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I have a feeling he is going to be allowed to play, after all is said and done.
On what grounds can it be overturned? The visa he is travelling under does not allow exemptions for those who are unvaccinated. That's way more than a mere trchnicality. Plus there may be serious problems with the legitimacy of his documentation. I think he will be on a plane out of there early next week.
 
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