Novak Djokovic’s wife blasts ex-New York Times writer for ‘anti-vax posterboy’ tweet

Battle lines are being drawn in the tennis community.

It remains up in the air as to whether Novak Djokovic, who just won his 21st major at Wimbledon on Sunday, will be able to compete in the U.S. Open. The tournament kicks off in late August, but the United States government has rules against international visitors who are unvaccinated for COVID-19 entering the country.

Racquet Magazine editor and former New York Times tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg wrote on Twitter, “US requires vaccination for foreigners to enter, and Djokovic has firmly said he has ruled out getting vaccinated, entrenching himself as an anti-vax posterboy.”

For this tweet, he was summarily slammed by Novak’s wife, Jelena Djokovic.

“Excuse me,” she tweeted. “Just making sure that it is noted that YOU tagged him as antivax poster boy for whatever reason you have. He simply responded what HIS body choice is.”

It did not end there.

“I understand that it’s his choice, but I also am saying that his decision to be so firmly against the vaccines that it limits his ability to play tournaments has made him, unwittingly or not, into a huge icon of the anti-vax movement. I saw this very clearly during Australia,” Rothenberg responded.

To that, Jelena Djokovic said the reporter was “creating a very judgmental narrative that fits your agenda. He is simply choosing what’s best for his body. If he is not playing because of making that choice, he is fine with it.”

Rothenberg said that Novak Djokovic had “disappointed” him during the pandemic.

“I can accept judgmental,” Rothenberg wrote in response. “I believe every citizen, especially public figures, had a duty to act responsibly with public health actions and messaging during the pandemic, and as someone who has covered Novak as the influential champion he is, he repeatedly disappointed me deeply.”

Jelena Djokovic landed a final blow before the back-and-forth concluded.

“Thank you for sharing your beliefs,” she tweeted. “I hope you don’t get judged for them. Or become a poster boy for hatred and bullying. You never know. You are also influential figure, please don’t continuously disappoint. Unless that’s your role.”

Over the weekend, tennis legend John McEnroe expressed a succinct desire for Novak Djokovic to be able to compete in the U.S. Open.

“These politicians are getting in the way too much,” McEnroe said. “They did it in Australia. Let’s let the guy come in and play in the U.S. I mean, come on. This is ridiculous.”