American tennis large Brad Gilbert has made a drastic appraisal of Novak Djokovic's bid to beryllium the top successful history, arsenic the satellite No.1 fights to stay successful Australia for the archetypal Grand Slam of the year.
Djokovic is level with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer connected a grounds 20 singles Grand Slam victories and is hoping to propulsion wide of his fierce rivals successful the Australian Open.
But the Serbian volition person his hopes dashed if the national authorities overturns the effect of Monday's tribunal visa battle.
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Gilbert believes Djokovic's refusal to get vaccinated could proceed to origin a nightmare for the arguable prima beyond the Australian Open.
"I deliberation determination volition beryllium galore tournaments and different majors helium volition nary longer beryllium capable to enactment successful if helium chooses to enactment unvaccinated," Gilbert said.
"I'm not definite each state has aesculapian exemptions for COVID. There mightiness beryllium immoderate for an irregular heartbeat.
"But it's going to beryllium a precise hard proposition to beryllium a full-time subordinate being unvaccinated."
Gilbert said his instrumentality connected the contention to unafraid the astir singles Grand Slam majors had changed dramatically successful caller months.
"If you'd person asked maine six months agone oregon 9 months ago, adjacent astatine the US Open, I thought (Djokovic) was good connected his mode to smashing the men's record," Gilbert said.
"I really thought that helium would extremity up passing (Australian legend) Margaret Court.
"I thought helium mightiness get 25 to 27 majors."
Djokovic past won a large astatine Wimbledon successful 2021, defeating Italian Matteo Berrettini.
He mislaid the 2021 US Open last to Russian Daniil Medvedev successful September.
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