Rather forfeit future tennis trophies than be jabbed: Novak Djokovic

• Djokovic says he should not be linked with anti-vax movement.
• People should be allowed to make their own choices, he says.
  
• I'd rather forfeit future tennis trophies than be forced to get a COVID jab, says Djokovic.
  

Novak Djokovic, a Serbian professional tennis player, has stated that he would rather forfeit future tennis trophies than be forced to get the COVID vaccine, the BBC reported Tuesday.

Djokovic was asked about the anti-vax movement during a BBC interview, to which he responded that he should not be linked with it. People should be allowed to make their own choices, he said.

When Djokovic was asked if he would forego participation in tournaments such as Wimbledon and the French Open due to his anti-vaccine stance, he said, "Yes, that is the price I am willing to pay." 

The 20-time Grand Slam champion was deported from Australia last month after his visa was revoked due to a dispute over his vaccination status.

Djokovic, the world's top-ranked men's tennis player, had said that he obtained a medical exemption to enter the country in order to compete in the Australian Open after he had recovered from COVID-19.

However, the 34-year-visa old's was personally cancelled by the country's immigration minister, Alex Hawke, on the grounds that his presence could provoke public disorder and foment anti-vaccine sentiment.

"I've always backed the choice to select what you put in your body," he told the BBC, adding that he got immunizations as a child.