The world’s #1 ranked ATP tennis star, Novak Djokovic, has tested positive for COVID-19.  Djokovic is one of several players and others who tested positive following a four-event tennis series which he set up in Serbia and Croatia.     The Adria Tour event finals were cancelled after players started testing positive for COVID-19.

Other players who tested positive include Adria Tour player Grigor Dimitrov and and his coach Christian Grob, players Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki, Troicki’s pregnant wife, and Djokovic’s coach Marko Paniki,.    Djokovic’s wife Jelena has also tested positive, but Djokovic said their children have not tested positive.

Participants in the tournament did not practice distancing, and shook hands and hugged and did high fives during the tournament.  They also played soccer and basketball and even went to a club—many dancing shirtless.  Serbian actor Milos Bikovic, who attended the club, also tested positive.

Djokovic released a statement saying he believed the virus had weakened and that his tournament had met the required conditions, but went on to say “Unfortunately, the virus is still present, and it is a new reality that we are still learning to cope and live with.  I am hoping things will ease with time so we can all resume lives the way they were. I am extremely sorry for each individual case of infection.”

Photos of the Adria Tour events showed packed stadiums, with most people without masks.

Tennis Channel commentators said this is a black eye for the sport, after what seemed to be an ability to resume tennis tournaments.  Commentator Lindsey Davenport, who has a home in Kona, said it was clear the first infections occurred in Belgrade, before the tournament moved back into Croatia.  She and other commentators were quite critical of Djokovic for ignoring health precautions.

Tennis Channel and Sports Illustrated commentator Jon Wertheim said this is problematic for tennis, as the events were “reckless”, saying the players and organizer (Djokovic) went to great lengths to ignore public health and safety warnings.   The U.S. Tennis Open is scheduled for late August, and several other pro tennis events are also on the calendar with no spectators, but Wertheim said it’s not clear what the implications are for upcoming tournaments.  Wertheim said this all falls on Djokovic, who is also head of the ATP Players Council–and that this outcome was completely avoidable.

Several other players have not tested positive.  Djokovic, who said he is showing no symptoms, said he will isolate for 14 days and plans to be retested in 5 days.