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Djokovic: Not against Vaccination but Won’t Be Forced to Take COVID Jab

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic speaks with Serbia's President in Belgrade, Serbia, February 3, 2022. (Reuters)
Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic speaks with Serbia's President in Belgrade, Serbia, February 3, 2022. (Reuters)
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Djokovic: Not against Vaccination but Won’t Be Forced to Take COVID Jab

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic speaks with Serbia's President in Belgrade, Serbia, February 3, 2022. (Reuters)
Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic speaks with Serbia's President in Belgrade, Serbia, February 3, 2022. (Reuters)

Novak Djokovic said he was not against vaccination but would skip Grand Slam tournaments if he was forced to take the jab against COVID-19.

Djokovic, who is unvaccinated, was deported from Australia after an 11-day rollercoaster experience involving two visa cancellations, two court challenges and five nights in two stints at an immigration detention hotel where asylum seekers are held.

"Yes, that is the price that I'm willing to pay," the 34-year-old Serbian told the BBC, adding that he was aware that he would not be able to travel to most tournaments in the world currently because of his unvaccinated status.

The 20-times major champion is set to return to competitive action at an ATP tournament in Dubai next week for the first time since he was deported ahead of the Australian Open, the year's first tennis Grand Slam.

Another win at Melbourne Park, where Djokovic has won nine titles, could have taken him to a men's record 21 major titles, but instead it was his long-time rival Rafa Nadal who nudged ahead by lifting the trophy last month.

Djokovic said he was ready to sacrifice his shot at the milestone over the "freedom of choice" but he was keeping an open mind about taking the jab in the future.

"I was never against vaccination," he said, adding that he took vaccines as a child. "But I've always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body.

"I understand that globally, everyone is trying to put a big effort into handling this virus and seeing, hopefully, an end soon to this virus."

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Arbeloa Vows to ‘Fight for Everything’ as Real Madrid Manager

Real Madrid new coach Alvaro Arbeloa attends a press conference at the club's Valdebebas training ground in Madrid, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP)
Real Madrid new coach Alvaro Arbeloa attends a press conference at the club's Valdebebas training ground in Madrid, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP)
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Arbeloa Vows to ‘Fight for Everything’ as Real Madrid Manager

Real Madrid new coach Alvaro Arbeloa attends a press conference at the club's Valdebebas training ground in Madrid, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP)
Real Madrid new coach Alvaro Arbeloa attends a press conference at the club's Valdebebas training ground in Madrid, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP)

Real Madrid's new manager Alvaro Arbeloa pledged to fight for everything as he stepped into the role vacated by Xabi Alonso and said he would stay in post as long as he was needed.

Real announced Alonso had left the club by mutual agreement on Monday, following a poor run of form and reports of unrest with some of his senior players.

The 42-year-old Arbeloa stepped up in his place from reserve ‌team Real Madrid ‌Castilla and inherits a side ‌trailing ⁠Barcelona by ‌four points in LaLiga and reeling from a 3-2 defeat in Sunday's Spanish Super Cup final.

"Of course, I am aware of the responsibility and the task ahead of me, and I am very excited," Arbeloa told a press conference on Tuesday. "I've found a group of ⁠players who are really eager... They share my enthusiasm to fight ‌for everything and to win."

Arbeloa, ‍who has been part ‍of Real Madrid's coaching structure since 2020, faces ‍a swift baptism of fire with only one training session before Wednesday's Copa del Rey round of 16 clash against second-division Albacete.

The former right back, who played 238 matches for Real from 2009 to 2016 and won eight trophies, including two Champions League titles, ⁠was relaxed about how long he would serve as coach.

"I've been in this house for 20 years, and I'll stay as long as they want me to," he said.

Arbeloa's immediate goal is to bridge the gap with Barcelona in LaLiga while ensuring progress in the Champions League and Copa del Rey.

"The important thing is that the players are happy, enjoy themselves on the pitch, and honor the badge. Wearing this ‌badge is the best thing that can happen to you in life," he added.

Sports

Roma Takes the Dakar Lead in Saudi Arabia as Ford Goes One-Two

Ford Racing's Spanish driver Nani Roma and Spanish co-pilot Alex Haro compete in Stage 8 of the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally 2026, in Saudi Arabia on January 12, 2026. (AFP)
Ford Racing's Spanish driver Nani Roma and Spanish co-pilot Alex Haro compete in Stage 8 of the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally 2026, in Saudi Arabia on January 12, 2026. (AFP)
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Roma Takes the Dakar Lead in Saudi Arabia as Ford Goes One-Two

Ford Racing's Spanish driver Nani Roma and Spanish co-pilot Alex Haro compete in Stage 8 of the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally 2026, in Saudi Arabia on January 12, 2026. (AFP)
Ford Racing's Spanish driver Nani Roma and Spanish co-pilot Alex Haro compete in Stage 8 of the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally 2026, in Saudi Arabia on January 12, 2026. (AFP)

Spaniard Nani Roma led compatriot Carlos Sainz in a Ford one-two at the top of the Dakar Rally car standings on Tuesday after a tough ninth stage in the Saudi Arabian desert for some frontrunners.

Dacia's previous leader and five times winner Nasser Al-Attiyah slipped to third but still only one minute 10 seconds behind Roma, with Toyota's South African Henk Lategan fourth - and with a further five minutes to make up.

"I had three punctures today, but I think everyone had problems," said Roma, who last led the Dakar 12 years ago when he won. "We are positive to be here."

Sainz said it had been hard to find the way at one point, with the cars taking ‌a different route ‌to the bikes and no longer having tracks ‌to ⁠follow.

Lategan described it ‌as a "little bit of a disaster of a day" after getting lost, suffering a puncture, broken windscreen and loss of power steering.

"I was driving with no power steering, extremely difficult in these cars because the wheels are so big so you have to have massive power to even turn the wheels," he said.

"And then we had some more punctures, got lost and we hit that bush in Seb (Loeb)'s dust ⁠that broke the windscreen. So we had to stop and kick the windscreen out because I couldn't ‌see from inside the car, put some goggles ‍on and carry on going."

The 410km ‍stage from Wadi Ad Dawasir to the overnight bivouac, first half of a ‍marathon stage, was won by 21-year-old Polish non-factory Toyota driver Eryk Goczal.

He finished seven minutes ahead of his uncle Michal, also with the Energylandia team, while father Marek was in 31st position.

Australian Toby Price, a double Dakar winner on motorcycles, was third on the stage for Toyota.

Sainz, 63, was handed a one minute 10 second penalty for speeding and finished the stage seventh but ahead ⁠of most of his rivals, including Roma in eighth.

The four times Dakar winner is now 57 seconds behind Roma, who also won on a motorcycle in 2004.

Sweden's Mattias Ekstrom, who had been second overall for Ford, lost a lot of time with a navigation error and dropped to fifth and 11 minutes and 19 seconds off the pace. Dacia's nine times world rally champion Loeb was sixth.

Spaniard Tosha Schareina won the stage in the motorcycle category for Honda, with KTM's Argentine rider Luciano Benavides losing the way and his overall lead to Australia's defending champion Daniel Sanders.

Sanders, also on a KTM, led Honda's American Ricky Brabec by six minutes ‌and 24 seconds.

The race, which ends on Saturday on the Red Sea coast, is the first round of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) season.

Sports

Sinner Seeks Australian Open ‘Three-Peat’ to Maintain Melbourne Supremacy

13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)
13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)
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Sinner Seeks Australian Open ‘Three-Peat’ to Maintain Melbourne Supremacy

13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)
13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)

Jannik Sinner returns to the Australian Open targeting a third straight title as the Italian seeks to impose a level of supremacy reminiscent of Novak Djokovic's stranglehold on the year's ​opening Grand Slam.

The 24-year-old will arrive at Melbourne Park under vastly different circumstances from 12 months ago when his successful title defense was partly overshadowed by a doping controversy which saw him serve a three-month ban.

With that storm firmly behind him, Sinner steps onto the blue courts unencumbered and with his focus sharpened after an outstanding 2025 in which he was only seriously challenged by world number ‌one Carlos ‌Alcaraz.

"I feel to be a better player ‌than ⁠last ​year," Sinner ‌said after beating Alcaraz to win the season-ending ATP Finals with his 58th match victory of a curtailed campaign.

"Honestly, amazing season. Many, many wins, and not many losses. All the losses I had, I tried to see the positive things and tried to evolve as a player.

"I felt like this happened in a very good way."

Sinner now sets his sights ⁠on a third straight Melbourne crown - a feat last achieved in the men's game during ‌the second of Djokovic's "three-peats" from 2019 to ‍2021 - and few would bet ‍against him pushing his overall major tally to five.

That pursuit continues ‍to be built on a game as relentless as it is precise, a metronomic rhythm from the baseline powered by near-robotic consistency and heavy groundstrokes that grind opponents into submission.

Although anchored in consistency and control, Sinner has worked ​to add a dash of magic - the kind of spontaneity best embodied by Alcaraz - and his pursuit will add intrigue ⁠to a rivalry that has become the defining duel of men's tennis.

"It's evolved in a positive way, especially the serving," Sinner said at the ATP Finals of his game.

"From the back of the court, it's a bit more unpredictable. I still have margins where I can play better at times.

"It's also difficult because you have to give a lot of credit to your opponent. Carlos is an incredible player. You have to push yourself over the limits."

The "Sincaraz" rivalry has already lit up most of the biggest tennis tournaments but Melbourne remains the missing piece, ‌and all signs point to that changing this year with the Australian Open set for a blockbuster title showdown.