“I think that would be fitting as he went through HELL”: England cricket legend believes Novak Djokovic deserves an apology for his Covid-19 vaccination stance after recent report
ATP
England cricket legend Kevin Pietersen believes that world
number one Novak Djokovic deserves an apology from everyone who criticised him
for his point of view regarding Covid-19 vaccines.
The 36-year-old is often regarded as the greatest player in
the history of men’s tennis in the Open era, having won as many as 24 Grand
Slam titles.
Djokovic was the centre of controversy during the Covid-19
pandemic when he openly refused to be vaccinated, doubting the safety of the
drugs as they were approved on an urgent basis to stop the pandemic which resulted
in the loss of lives of millions of people.
It was this decision which led him to be deported from
Australia as well where he travelled to participate in the Australian Open.
Recently, the Telegraph reported that one of the most
successful vaccines which came from AstraZeneca
in the UK is now being withdrawn after admission that it resulted in rare blood
clot issues which can become fatal.
Pietersen, in a post on his official account on the social
media platform X—previously known as Twitter—stated that Djokovic deserves an
apology from the Australian government as he has been proven right. But the
former right-handed batter deleted the post later on.
Novak Djokovic faced a lot of criticism for his position regarding Covid-19 vaccination.
“It’s time for every single person (who criticised) and the
Australian government to issue an apology to Novak Djokovic now,” wrote Pietersen.
“I think that would be fitting as he went through HELL! It seems he was onto
something…”
Djokovic, recently in an interview, stated that he had no
regrets of going through a difficult phase for having a strong opinion about
something.
“I have no regrets,” he said.. “I’ve learned through life
that regrets only hold you back and basically make you live in the past.
I don’t want to do that. I also don’t want to live too much
in the future. I want to be as much as in the present moment but of course
think about the future, create a better future.
“At the same time, it’s the conscious decision I made and I
knew that there is always a possibility that I won’t go to America.”
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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