Nick Kyrgios has lashed out against Novak Djokovic’s Adria Tour, calling it ‘boneheaded,’ after Grigor Dimitrov and Borna Coric, both participants at the event, tested positive for COVID-19.
The world no 1’s charity exhibition event, which started in Belgrade last week before proceeding to Zadar in Croatia for the second leg, has come under considerable criticism since seemingly no precautions against the virus had been taken by organisers.
Also Read: Borna Coric also contracts Coronavirus
Players were seen hugging, engaging in basketball and football matches, and the fans in the stands during the event in Belgrade and Zadar were not instructed to maintain social distancing or even wear masks.
The final of the second leg, between Djokovic and world no 14 Andrew Rublev however, was cancelled after Dimitrov confirmed he had tested positive.
Also Read: Tennis world reacts to Dimitrov testing positive for Covid-19
Following that, organisers conducted tests on at least 22 people who may have come in contact with Dimitrov for “10 minutes,” resulting in Coric, Djokovic’s fitness coach Marko Paniki and Dimitrov’s coach Kristijan Groh testing positive.
“Boneheaded decision to go ahead with the ‘exhibition’ speedy recovery fellas, but that’s what happens when you disregard protocols. This IS NOT A JOKE,” Kyrgios tweeted.
🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️ Boneheaded decision to go ahead with the ‘exhibition’ speedy recovery fellas, but that’s what happens when you disregard all protocols. This IS NOT A JOKE. https://t.co/SUdxfijkbK
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) June 22, 2020
American player Noah Rubin, who had criticised Djokovic for the Serb’s reluctance at playing at the US Open under heavy restrictions, also came out on twitter to slam the Adria Tour.
“It’s just not okay. Reckless and disappointing that they though tennis deserved the risk,” Rubin wrote in a post.
It’s just not okay. Reckless and disappointing that they thought tennis deserved the risk https://t.co/pkbnISTv6i
— Noah Rubin (@Noahrubin33) June 21, 2020
Meanwhile, fellow American player Sachia Vickery hit out at Djokovic’s fans who had allegedly been trolling her when she called the Serb “selfish” when he claimed he didn’t want to compete at the US Open without being allowed his full entourage.
“Where all them Djokovic fans that were attacking me last week after I said we should prioritize health before the amount of people we can bring to a slam? I’m tryna see something,” she wrote.
Where all them Djokovic fans that were attacking me last week after I said we should prioritize health before the amount of people we can bring to a slam ? I’m tryna see something 🤷🏾♀️🤷🏾♀️🤷🏾♀️🤫🤫🤫
— Sachia Vickery (@SachiaVick) June 21, 2020
At the moment, while the tour has been suspended till August, there have been exhibition events taking place around the world, but in a small capacity and with heavy restrictions.
