Tennis player Novak Djokovic and wife Jelena test positive for Covid-19
Dharshana Kathiresan, INN/Chennai, @infodeaofficial
On Tuesday, the tennis icon, Novak Djokovic, tested positive for coronavirus after organizing a tennis exhibition series in Serbia and Croatia and participating in it.
The Serbian star is the fourth player to be infected with the virus after initially playing in Belgrade and then again last weekend in Zadar, Croatia. His wife tested positive as well.
Djokovic said in a statement, “The moment we arrived in Belgrade we went to be tested. My result is positive, just as Jelena’s, while the results of our children are negative.”
The player has been severely criticized for arranging the tournament and for including players from foreign countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said, “Everything we did in the past month, we did with a pure heart and sincere intentions.”
“Our tournament meant to unite and share a message of solidarity and compassion throughout the region.”
Viktor Troicki and his pregnant wife have both fallen victim to the virus, Viktor said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Grigor Dimitrov from Bulgaria said on Sunday that he was diagnosed with the virus. On Monday, Borna Coric said he tested positive and he has also played against Dimitrov on Saturday.
According to reports, social distancing measures were not observed at the matches in both countries where the exhibition was played.
He added that he organized the series when it was convinced that the spread of the coronavirus was slowing down.
“Unfortunately, this virus is still present, and it is a new reality that we are still learning to cope with and live with,” said Djokovic.
“I am hoping things will ease with time so we can all resume lives the way they were.”
He has said that he will stay in self-isolation for 14 days and has also apologized to anyone who got diagnosed with the virus as a consequence of the series