'Novak Djokovic's balcony is bigger than my room' says Guido Pella

World no. 44 Guido Pella can't catch a break with the coronavirus at Majors, finding it hard to focus on tennis at both the US Open last year and ahead of the upcoming Australian Open.

"We knew the protocol and that this could happen. No players have complained about the quarantine. We just say that in the "gray" issues, you always look against the players. When I leave the room, my only objective is not to get injured; I give up the competitive aspect. I can't compete on a high level after this. I will step on the court to try to do well and collect the money that corresponds to me. What makes me angry is representing Argentina in these terrible conditions because I know that I can't win matches. I already went through something similar at the US Open, and my attitude is better now.

Still, you can go crazy if you think too much. They ask us to clean the room, but we have nothing where we can throw dirty things or material to tidy everything up. Regarding food, you have to try to take what they bring us, even if it is difficult. They give us the option of ordering food at home, but you get ice cream if you order something hot. This kills you physically and mentally. We already assume there is a favorable treatment for the best. They are the ones who sell tickets, those who mobilize everything, they are the ones who generate business. In a normal situation, there is no problem with that.

In a pandemic context in which everyone is asked for empathy and solidarity, that the director of the Australian Open 2021 comes out to openly recognize that preferential treatment and whitewash it, it seems to me that they are laughing at us in the face. If you only care about three players, set up an exhibition with them, but don't bring the rest of us. It's hard that we are here without open windows, requesting to have five minutes of fresh air, and then you see Djokovic go out to a balcony bigger than my room.

The Adelaide bubble management has been a hoax, it does not surprise me as nothing bothers me anymore, but that's the way it is, although I'm not critical of Novak, far from it. I'm grateful to the pandemic that it has allowed me to see what the people around me are like and what the world of tennis is like. If this hadn't happened, I would have left with a positive feeling. Now all the masks have fallen off. Many people say one thing and do another. I am tired of writing messages in groups that many colleagues show their resentment and then see them in the call with the tournament or the ATP thanking and doing the ball to the leaders and institutions.

There is a lot of marketing here. People who can do something turn their backs on you continuously. Novak has shown on many occasions that he has intentions and is involved for the common good. He has fought against the Adelaide bubble since he found out that they put him there; I do not know who or how, but I know he has done it. It would give me a bit of a thing, it would give me a bit of shame, but if they can sleep soundly, then that's it. I didn't like that Nadal and Thiem didn't say anything at all," Guido Pella said.