BELGRADE (Serbia): Novak Djokovic and his wife Jelena, who last week both tested positive for coronavirus following his exhibition tournament in the Balkans, have now tested negative, his press service said Thursday.
Neither the 33-year-old player or his partner felt any symptoms, the statement said.
The couple had been self isolating since returning to Belgrade from Zadar in Croatia, the town which hosted the second leg of Djokovic’s ill-fated Adria Tour.
Four players — Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki — tested positive for the virus after the event which saw little social distancing and packed stands.
The world number one’s coach Goran Ivanisevic also contracted COVID-19.
Players had embraced across the net, played basketball and even danced in a nightclub during the week of the first leg played in Belgrade.
Djokovic was widely criticised for hosting the tournament.
The Serbian star issued an apology, saying he was “so deeply sorry” that the tournament “caused harm”.
On Wednesday, the player donated more than 40,000 euros ($45,000) to Serbian town Novi Pazar which has been badly affected by the pandemic.
Serbia, with a population of about seven million people, has registered nearly 15,000 coronavirus infections and 281 deaths.
Last month Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all tested positive after taking part in the Adria Tour event in Croatia, where players embraced across the net, played basketball and even danced in a nightclub.
Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, so often in the crosshairs for his own on-court indiscretions, said the incident was pure “stupidity”.
“Don’t @ me for anything I’ve done that has been ‘irresponsible’ or classified as ‘stupidity’ — this takes the cake,” tweeted the world number 40.
Britain’s Andy Murray, a three-time Grand Slam winner who has known Djokovic since their junior days, said: “I don’t think it has been a great look for tennis.”
Djokovic, world number one, issued an unstinting apology for the now-cancelled Adria Tour in the Balkans, where social distancing was minimal and matches were played in front of thousands of fans.
The 33-year-old had said then he was “so deeply sorry” that the tournament “caused harm”. His wife Jelena has also tested positive after the couple travelled back from Croatia to Belgrade to be tested.
