Novak Djokovic No Longer Has Coronavirus 10 Days After Testing Positive

Novak Djokovic was among four participants in a recent tennis tournament that tested positive 

Novak Djokovic of Serbia
Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball during a match of Adria Tour in Zadar, Croatia, on June 21, 2020. . Photo: CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA/Shutterstock

Novak Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, are no longer positive for coronavirus, 10 days after announcing that they had the respiratory illness.

“Novak Djokovic and his wife Jelena are negative for COVID-19. That was shown by the results of the PCR tests that both had in Belgrade,” his media team said in a Thursday statement, according to the Associated Press.

The pair had no symptoms and have been self-isolating in Belgrade since testing positive, the statement said.

Djokovic’s positive test result followed controversy over a tennis tournament he organized in Zadar, Croatia. The event came under fire for potentially exposing athletes to the virus during the pandemic.

In addition to Djokovic, three other participants in the tournament tested positive — Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki, the AP reports. The positive test results prompted the quick cancelation of the Adria Tour tournament.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic returns the ball during an exhibition tournament in Zadar, Croatia. Zvonko Kucelin/AP/Shutterstock

"Everything we did in the past month, we did with a pure heart and sincere intentions. Our tournament meant to unite and share a message of solidarity and compassion throughout the region," Djokovic said in the statement first announcing that he and his wife had the virus.

The tennis pro apologized for “each individual case of infection” and said the event was set up when he thought the virus had "weakened, believing that the conditions for hosting the Tour had been met."

Djokovic added: "Unfortunately, this 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."

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Several tennis players spoke out against the decision to move forward with the tournament, including Chris Evert, who tweeted: "I don’t understand... no safe distancing, total physical contact, no face masks, even the fans were without masks.. I don’t get it.. not smart...hope no one else tests positive. Get well Grigor."’

"Boneheaded decision to go ahead with the ‘exhibition’ speedy recovery fellas, but that’s what happens when you disregard all protocols. This IS NOT A JOKE," Nick Kyrgios added on Twitter.

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