IT’S one of the most infectious viruses the world has ever seen and nobody is immune – not princes, pop stars or even healthy and ultra-fit tennis stars such as Novak Djokovic. But if the Serbian tennis ace was expecting sympathy when he recently announced he’d tested positive for Covid-19, he was in for a nasty surprise.
Instead of feeling sorry for him, the general consensus among fans and fellow players is that the World No 1 only has himself to blame for the fact that he got infected.
That’s because in the weeks leading up to his diagnosis, social media was flooded with pictures showing exactly what Novak (33) was getting up to.
Partying in packed nightclubs, signing autographs for fans, playing basketball with pals and exchanging sweaty hugs with players in packed stadiums at a high-profile exhibition tournament he’d organised with hardly a mask in sight – what was he thinking? It’s like he’d never heard of the coronavirus.
Although the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the governing body that oversees the sport, has suspended all matches, Novak was determined his Adria Tour was going to go ahead. It would be fun for fans, he argued, plus he promised to donate some of the takings to help those affected by the pandemic.
And he had enough clout to convince other players, including members of the world’s top 10 such as Austria’s Dominic Thiem, Germany’s Alex Zverev and Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov to join him for the controversial series in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia.
The tour kicked off in Novak’s hometown, Belgrade, where players competed in sold-out stadiums with ball boys on hand to bring them drinks and hand them towels.
この記事は YOU South Africa の 9 July 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は YOU South Africa の 9 July 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
HOW TO BE YOUR OWN THERAPIST
With more and more of us struggling with our mental health, here's a common-sense guide to coping with life's ups and downs
SPUD: THE MAGIC CONTINUES
John van de Ruit tells us why he decided to write a sequel - and shares how his first book helped him find enduring love
SEX CONTRACT GONE WRONG
A Cape Town couple have been charged with using a young woman as a sex slave-but some say she lost the job she signed up for and now has a grudge against them
LIAM LAID TO REST
More than a month after One Direction singer LIAM PAYNE (31) tragically fell to his death from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, his loved ones finally got to say their goodbyes.
SHILOH HANGS OUT
THE two young women look like any pair of good friends chatting and laughing as they leave their dance class in Los Angeles.
LEO IN LOVE
He's just turned 50 and it seems Leonardo DiCaprio may finally be ready to settle down
PACKING A PUNCH
Irish actor Paul Mescal beefed up for his role in the blockbuster epic Gladiator II - and fans are loving it
I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO BE A LOVE CHILD
As the illegitimate daughter of the king, she fought to be recognised as part of Belgium's royal family, but Princess Delphine says she still feels unwelcome
'I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES'
A bite from a spitting cobra 13 years ago nearly killed her but Mikayla survived - and she's made peace with her scars
THE CLAWS ARE OUT!
Things have grown frosty between the Beckhams and the Sussexes as Becks comes out in clear support of William