'I don't care': Novak Djokovic receives scathing message from French player over ongoing vaccination row

Benoit Paire has made it clear that he "does not care" if unvaccinated players are not allowed to play at the 2022 Australian Open. The Frenchman feels it will be better for him if the likes of Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev do not arrive Down Under owing to their unclear vaccination status.

Victoria premier Daniel Andrews has insisted that athletes without the vaccination will not be granted visas to enter the country be it for the Australian Open or any other sporting event in the immediate future. Australia's stance on the vaccination could see the likes of Djokovic, Medvedev and many other players skip the first Grand Slam of the year.

"There is no quarantine anymore in Melbourne if you're vaccinated," Paire said, as quoted on the Daily Express. "Those that are not vaccinated, I don't care about them. If they don't play, all the better for me."

"I don't care about the other players. I'm motivated to have a great season next year. If there are some people who are reluctant to get vaccinated, then they should stay in Europe," he added. "It's not my problem. You have to be vaccinated to go to Australia. I am vaccinated and I'm looking forward to playing there."

Djokovic was non-committal about his participation at the Australian Open owing to the ongoing vaccination row. The world number one is refusing to reveal his vaccination status and made it clear that no one should be forced to take the vaccination, or reveal their status.

"I do not know if I will go to Australia, I do not know what is happening. At this moment, the situation does not look good," Djokovic said when asked about the Australian Open last month.

"You cannot discriminate against someone if they want to decide for themselves whether they want to be vaccinated or not," The Serbian star argued after Andrews' comments about unvaccinated athletes not being allowed to enter Australia.

It remains to be seen if Australia will change its stance going forward. Tennis Australia seemed to confirm to the WTA players via a leaked email that unvaccinated players will be allowed to participate after undergoing a mandatory quarantine period, but that is yet to be confirmed by the Australian government.