Coronavirus pandemic
Players hit by vaccine jitters
Some wary of Covid inoculation; but others like Osaka ready for their shots
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Naomi Osaka of Japan returns a shot during her women's singles fourth-round match against Elise Mertens of Belgium at the Miami Open. World No. 2 Osaka beat her opponent 6-3, 6-3 to set up a semi-final clash against Greece's Maria Sakkari.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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MIAMI • Some leading tennis players at the Miami Open remain sceptical of Covid-19 vaccines, claiming they want more information before getting a shot.
World No. 8 Aryna Sabalenka expressed her concern, while fifth-ranked and 2018 WTA Finals Singapore champion Elina Svitolina said she was inclined to take the advice of friends and wait.
"So far I don't really trust it," Belarusian Sabalenka said following her fourth round 6-1, 6-2 mugging of Czech Marketa Vondrousova.
"It's tough to say, but I don't really want it yet and I don't want my family to take it. If I will have to do it, then of course I have to do it because our life is a travel life."
Of major concern for Sabalenka is how quickly the vaccines were produced, the different options that are now available and which one might be best for her.
"I have to speak with my doctors and see which one is better for me," she said. "They just make it, like really quick and there wasn't enough time to test it and to see what can happen. So I think this is not enough time to make the good one."
Svitolina echoed similar feelings, adding she would rather wait it out.
"It will not really help you in many ways because you have to quarantine anyway because ATP and WTA (Tours), they oblige you to quarantine anyway, like 24 hours as soon as you get it," said the Ukrainian, who advanced to the last-eight with 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 win over ninth-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova.
"Okay, you will reduce your symptoms if you get it, but still, there is a chance that you can get it. So for now it makes almost, like, no sense to do something that has been tested for such a short period of time. For me, I will probably wait for now."
Some players on the men's circuit are equally hesitant. World No. 9 Diego Schwartzman admitted he did not "love the vaccine", expressing his general scepticism.
After beating Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-1, 6-4 to reach the last 16, the Argentinian added: "Never have. It's not a tradition in my family to get any vaccine."
World No. 8 Andrey Rublev has the same sentiments. The Russian, who eased into the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Hungary's Marton Fucsovics, added: "If you ask me if I can choose and I can have an option, I will not do it."
But not everyone at Miami is adverse to being vaccinated.
Australian Open winner and world No. 2 Naomi Osaka will get one when it is her turn.
"I'm planning on getting one," said the Japanese four-time Grand Slam champion, who will take on Greek Maria Sakkari today for a place in the semi-finals. "For me, I feel like whenever I'm eligible, I guess."
Third-ranked Simona Halep had to pull out of Miami over the weekend due to injury but the Romanian revealed that she received her Pfizer-BioNTech shot last week.
"I wanted to get vaccinated. I came with an open mind and I'm fine. I'm fine, I haven't had any side effects now. It's for everyone's sake and that's why I decided to get vaccinated," the Wimbledon champion said.
REUTERS
WTA MIAMI OPEN
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