Novak Djokovic's wife Jelena slams journalist for calling her husband 'anti-vax poster boy'

Novak Djokovic beat Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon final to win his 21st grand slam title and fourth consecutive triumph on grass. However, after the victory, Djokovic ruled out being vaccinated to participate in the US Open after, shrugging off queries about his decision.

The American border is now prohibited to unvaccinated visitors, which means Djokovic will miss the US Open. Following the Wimbledon final, Novak Djokovic's wife Jelena got into a confrontation with a tennis reporter on Twitter.

Ben Rothenbrough, the reporter, tweeted that Wimbledon will be Djokovic's last grand slam of 2021. He also stated that the Tennis star had established himself as the 'anti-vax poster boy'. "Unless there is a swift change in US immigration law, #Wimbledonwill be Djokovic’s last Grand Slam event of the year. US requires vaccination for foreigners to enter, and Djokovic has firmly said he has ruled out getting vaccinated, entrenching himself as an anti-vax poster boy," he tweeted. 

This didn't sit well with Jelena. She retailed that Rotenbrough had labelled him as an anti-vax poster boy. She said that Djokovic was just expressing his body choice. "Excuse me. Just making sure that it is noted that YOU tagged him as antivax poster boy for whatever reason you have. He simply responded what HIS body choice is," Jelena wrote.

Here are the tweets

Excuse me. Just making sure that it is noted that YOU tagged him as antivax poster boy for whatever reason you have. He simply responded what HIS body choice is.

— Jelena Djokovic (@jelenadjokovic) July 10, 2022

"I understand that it’s his choice, but I also am saying that his decision to be so firmly against the vaccines that it limits his ability to play tournaments has made him, unwittingly or not, into a huge icon of the anti-vax movement. I saw this very clearly during Australia," replied Rothenbrough.

Jalena further claimed that the reporter was making judgements "You are creating a very judgmental narrative that fits your agenda. He is simply choosing what’s best for his body. If he is not playing because of making that choice, he is fine with it," she said.

Rothenbrough responded by saying that as a public figure, Djokovic had the responsibility to send the right message. "I can accept judgmental. I believe every citizen, especially public figures, had a duty to act responsibly with public health actions and messaging during the pandemic, and as someone who has covered Novak as the influential champion he is, he repeatedly disappointed me deeply," he said.

The altercation ended when Jelena retaliated: "Thank you for sharing your beliefs. I hope you don’t get judged for them. Or become a poster boy for hatred and bullying. You never know. You are also influential figure, please don’t continuously disappoint. Unless that’s your role."

You are creating a very judgmental narrative that fits your agenda. He is simply choosing what’s best for his body. If he is not playing because of making that choice, he is fine with it.

— Jelena Djokovic (@jelenadjokovic) July 10, 2022

Thank you for sharing your beliefs. I hope you don’t get judged for them. Or become a poster boy for hatred and bullying. You never know.

You are also influential figure, please don’t continuously disappoint. Unless that’s your role.

— Jelena Djokovic (@jelenadjokovic) July 10, 2022