Five-time Grand Slam doubles champion Pierre-Hugues Herbert has revealed he will not be playing at the Australian Open in January, partly because he is unvaccinated. The tournament will only allow fully jabbed players to compete.
“Personally, I am not vaccinated and the trip to Australia was not an option for me,” Herbert told French media outlet L’Alsace.
World doubles number eight Herbert and partner Nicolas Mahut won the title in Melbourne in 2018 – one of five they have scooped at Grand Slams. They also claimed the ATP Finals title in Italy in November.
They will not have a shot at the season-opening major in Melbourne after organizers ruled that only fully vaccinated players could compete.
Herbert, 30, said that the decision was also partly down to his ranking in the singles, which has slumped to 100, meaning he would likely have had to emerge through qualifying at Melbourne Park.
“I do what I can. But because of my singles ranking, it may have been a bad thing (to go to Australia) for a good start,” he said.
It’s unclear whether doubles partner Mahut will make the trip to Australia as he is believed to have received only one dose of a Covid vaccine, having already tested positive for the virus.
Speaking earlier this year on his vaccine status, Herbert said it was a “personal choice.”
“I don’t know how long it will last. I don’t know if it’s feasible today to be a tennis player without being vaccinated,” said the Frenchman.
“There is not only Australia. Today, there are the United States, Austria… it is a rather complex topic.”
Herbert is believed to be the first star to pull out of the event due to his vaccination status, although the biggest speculation surrounds men’s world number one Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic has refused to publicly state whether or not he has had or will have the Covid jab.
Tennis Australia recently doubled down after suggestions that loopholes could be used as a way for nine-time champion Djokovic to appear, saying that “all players, participants and staff at the Australian Open have to be vaccinated.”
“Any suggestion that Tennis Australia is seeking ‘loopholes’ within this process is simply untrue. Adjudicating on medical exemptions is the domain of independent medical experts. We are not in a position to influence this process and nor would we,” it added.
Suggestions that Djokovic, 34, could yet defend his title in Melbourne were fueled when his name was included in the tournament draw and also on the teamsheet for Serbia for the ATP Cup in Sydney in January.
If the 20-time Grand Slam winner wants to appear at that tournament, he would need an exemption from the New South Wales government and also complete a mandatory 14-day quarantine on arriving in Sydney.
Fresh off the back of Simone Biles’ laughable Athlete of the Year award from Time Magazine, here are some alternatives elsewhere in sport far more deserving of the gong.
The famous publication quite rightly dubbed Biles the GOAT in her chosen profession, gymnastics.
But at Tokyo 2020, the American let the side down with minutes to spare before their team event eventually won by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).
Biles then pulled out of another four events, citing mental health concerns, before returning for the beam where she scooped bronze.
Maybe she should receive an accolade elsewhere for raising awareness, but this isn’t the one – of which the American was far more deserving after Rio 2016 when she scooped four gold medals.
It seems they are now handing out prizes for wokeness, and Biles’ win is basically an insult to sport.
To that end, here is a list of just a few candidates who are far more deserving.
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez
Fighting men since he was 15, the Mexican became boxing’s first undisputed super-middleweight champion by stopping the unbeaten Caleb Plant in Las Vegas last month.
In 11 months, he fought four times and took each remaining piece of the 168lb crown from unbeaten brawlers in Plant, Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders.
Next year, he also plans to challenge 200lb WBC cruiserweight champion Ilunga Makabu to become a five-weight king, which is even more incredible considering he started his career as a 140-lb light welterweight.
Rather than being ready to call it a day at 24, as Biles is tipped, Canelo is still looking for the biggest tests possible at 31.
Tom Brady
Arguably the toughest athlete that sport has ever seen mentally speaking, the New England Patriots legend now at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, unlike Biles, simply doesn’t know when to quit.
This is best communicated not only by the comeback victories that his teams seem to mount most weekends and on the biggest of stages, but also by the fact that he is still playing at 44.
At the beginning of the year, he settled the quarterback GOAT debate for once and for all by bagging a seventh Super Bowl ring with his new outfit, which also proved he is not a one-trick system pony under former coach Bill Belichick.
Novak Djokovic
Coming close to being the first tennis player since Rod Laver to do the full Grand Slam of all the top trophies in 2021, the Serbian was evidently exhausted in the US Open final when facing Daniil Medvedev.
Novak Djokovic in 2021: 20 slams 37 masters 7th YE No 1 354 weeks at no 1 Another GOAT year! pic.twitter.com/pHuvxyGGtl
Rather than throw in the towel in a huff akin to Biles, however, he soldiered on and lost with grace and dignity to the Russian despite missing out on the landmark achievement.
Aside from equaling Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in all-time Grand Slam wins (20), the world number 1 continues to demonstrate that he is his own man.
Djokovic maintains his firm stance on freedom of choice over the Covid vaccine, even if ostracized by wider society and with his involvement in the upcoming Australian Open in doubt.
Emma Raducanu
Sticking with the tennis world, the 18-year-old had to go through three rounds of qualifying jet-lagged after arriving in New York just to get the chance to feature at the US Open.
It turns out that winning the US Open in your first try will earn you WTA Newcomer of the Year.
Playing in just her second-ever Grand Slam tournament, she claimed top honors at Flushing Meadows without dropping a set amid what she has described as “obstacles”.
Also strong-minded in the same vein as Djokovic, she has said that people having opinions and expectations of her “doesn’t matter”.
Marta Martyanova
In one of sport’s best examples of refusing to give in, the little-known Russian fencer Martyanova hurt her ankle early in the foil team final at Tokyo 2020 and had reason enough to back out.
Instead she soldiered on, and played her part in the Russian Olympic Committee winning a further 14 points to take home gold as they beat France 45-34.
Wheelchaired to the podium and then helped onto it by her teammates, Martyanova admitted that “emotionally it was very hard” and that “she didn’t know what to do”.
“I had to just stand up and do everything,” she added.
Take note.
Sifan Hassan
The Harper’s Bazaar Woman of the Year won Olympic gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters in the Japanese capital and bronze in the 1,500 meters, making her the first athlete in history to clinch a medal in all three events at the same games.
Before touching down in Asia, she also set a new world record in the 10,000 meters. What sets her apart, though, is that she literally fell in qualifying for the 1,500 meters final in Tokyo, but got up again to continue and go on to achieve her impressive feats across the tournament with six races in eight days in grueling summer heat.
Furthermore, the 1,500 and 10,000 finals were back-to-back on consecutive days.
“In my head there was no room for discussion. I knew I had to get up and keep walking. I didn’t know if I would make it, but I had to at least try. My goal was to get gold in three distances,” she said.
“That’s why getting up was so important to me. If I had stayed down I would have given up and I don’t want to. I do not give up.”
By Tom Sanderson
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
Premier League star Raul Jimenez has been widely mocked on social media after receiving a bizarre red card for two incidents in 31 seconds that were his own doing.
Away at champions Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers were holding their own approaching half time with the score tied at 0-0.
In added minutes, however, Jimenez put obstacles in his team’s way by reducing them to 10 men in a moment of madness.
First booked for fouling Rodri around the halfway line, as City boss Pep Guardiola was caught on camera throwing his arms around in disbelief, the Mexican then stood in the Spaniard’s way and prevented him from taking the resulting free kick.
Just going to leave this here for when the footage is copystriked so I know what Jiminez did for future references pic.twitter.com/jVKdd5dWse
— Has the Referee or VAR made a poor decision? (@PoorEPLreferees) December 11, 2021
— Has the Referee or VAR made a poor decision? (@PoorEPLreferees) December 11, 2021
Referee Jon Moss had seen enough by that point, and gave him a second yellow which sent Jimenez for an early bath.
Ridiculed by the home crowd, the striker applauded them sarcastically. Online, the reception was no warmer.
Called an “idiot”, Jimenez was blasted for a “stupid mistake from an international footballer”, though Rodri had been “very clever” in setting him up for his fall.
Stupid mistake from an international footballer tbh, but very clever from Rodri.
A more articulate review was that Jimenez had provided the perfect example of “the existential red card”.
“Watching Raul Jimenez being sent off for Wolves against Manchester City was almost like watching someone go through the five stages of athletic grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. It was epic and spiritual,” the popular Twitter user added.
31 – Only 31 seconds separated Raúl Jiménez's first and second yellow cards (45:50-46:21). It's his first red card in his 102nd Premier League appearance, while he's the first Mexican to be sent off in the competition. Orders.
Watching Raúl Jiménez being sent off for Wolves against Manchester City was almost like watching someone go through the five stages of athletic grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. It was epic and spiritual.
The anti-City brigade accused the Abu Dhabi-backed giants of “buying” the referee, and found the dismissal “harsh”.
What is happening at this game. Jimenez wrongly getting sent off , the first yellow he clearly got the ball cleanly then a plenty because the ball hit Wolves player armpit. Makes you wonder why City always get this kind of decisions hmmmm #MCIWOLpic.twitter.com/Z2MDUYZinm
Holding the fort until almost halfway through the second half, Wolves eventually succumbed to their hosts.
This happened when Moss awarded a controversial penalty after Joao Moutinho was struck in the armpit by the ball, which did nothing to calm down the conspiracy brigade.
And with Raheem Sterling converting from the spot, City went four points clear at the top of the table with title rivals Liverpool and Chelsea still yet to play later this afternoon.
The response to the domination of transgender US college swimmer Lia Thomas proves that female athletes are facing a very real threat from male-born rivals. Suggesting anything otherwise is downright dangerous.
Competing in a debut season as a member of the women’s team at the University of Pennsylvania, trans swimmer Thomas has proceeded to blow her rivals out of the water.
A host of records have tumbled. In one particularly embarrassing episode, the 22-year-old former man beat a female-born teammate by 38 seconds at a race meet in Ohio last weekend.
After dishing out one beatdown in the pool, Thomas is alleged to have bragged: “That was so easy, I was cruising.”
Then known as ‘Will’, Thomas spent three years on the Penn men’s team before transitioning.
At least in the swimming pool, she has rarely looked back since.
More record-breaking feats seem likely before season is out, and Thomas is unabashed in the face of any criticism.
“I’m proud of my times, my ability to keep swimming and to continue competing,” Thomas told SwimSwam.com this week.
“They’re suited up times. I’m happy with them and my coaches are happy withthem.”
UPenn transgender swimmer Lia Thomas says it's completely fair to compete against women:
“Everybody is able to compete in the category they’re most comfortable with unless there’s a proven unfair advantage that they have.” pic.twitter.com/JGzeUZ0SnG
Restricted to US college sport, the splash surrounding Thomas might seem minor – but in reality, it says much about how those in power are negligently turning a blind eye to the harm being done.
That damage starts with Thomas’ teammates. They are said to have been “strongly advised” not to talk to the media about the situation, even though some are clearly upset.
That policy is typical among advocates for the unfettered rights of trans athletes: stifle any debate, ignore any evidence, and slander any critics.
Nonetheless, at least two UPenn swimmers have bravely spoken out – albeit on condition of anonymity for fear of backlash from the university or activists.
“Honestly, this is so upsetting to us because we want to be acknowledged for our hard work, but it seems like this just keeps overshadowing us,” one swimmer told OutKick.
“Put Lia out of the picture, we have a really good team this year. We have one of the best teams we’ve had in years, and that’s being overshadowed…
“We train every single day and give up so much for this sport. And I love swimming. I do it because I love it. It’s been a part of my life forever, and this is a slap in the face that the NCAA doesn’t care about the integrity of women’s sports.”
That’s exactly it: a sucker punch for women’s college sports. Yet all the while, the authorities appear to be blindly sticking to the line that Thomas is eligible to compete.
NCAA rules state that trans women are free to do so, provided they have completed one year of testosterone suppression treatment.
That requirement of 12 months has already been questioned by some – including in a British Journal of Sports Medicine paper published in December 2020.
Thomas is said to be two-and-a-half years into hormone replacement therapy, but some have wondered whether any amount of testosterone suppression is enough to reverse the inherent benefits that passing through puberty as a male can confer.
Shamefully, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stuck its head back in the sand on the debate over trans participation in sport.
New guidelines in November suggested that testosterone reduction should not be an automatic requirement for trans women, while passing the buck to individual sports to make decisions on where the line should be drawn – if at all.
Commenting on the situation at UPenn, Sports science specialist Ross Tucker said: “This is a volatile situation that will only get worse and expand.
“It’s happened because those in charge have ignored the science (and often the law) and failed to protect women’s rights. But instead of fixing it, they bow to threats and advise those directly affected to stay silent.”
Meanwhile, Thomas’ teammates and rivals from other colleges are the ones losing out.
“Pretty much everyone individually has spoken to our coaches about not liking this,” a source told OutKick.
“Our coach [Mike Schnur] just really likes winning. He’s like most coaches. I think secretly everyone just knows it’s the wrong thing to do.”
Thomas will keep on winning in the pool – but at what cost to women’s college sports in the US?
By Liam Tyler
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
Max Verstappen has taken pole position for the F1 title-deciding Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi as he seeks to wrestle the world championship from Lewis Hamilton.
Vying for a maiden world championship crown, Verstappen clocked a stunning lap time of 1:22.109 at the start of Q3 on Saturday with help from Red Bull teammate Serio Perez.
Sacrificing his own lap, the Mexican gave him a straight-line speed advantage.
On pole for the final race of an incredible season
“Oh yes!” roared the 24-year-old Verstappen on the team radio as pole was confirmed at the Yas Marina circuit.
“Didn’t expect that one but amazing job guys!”
Finishing in second 0.371 seconds behind Verstappen, defending champion Hamilton could do nothing but tip his hat.
“That was a fantastic lap from him,” accepted the Brit. “We just couldn’t compete with that time.”
Level on 369.5 points, the rival pair will start on the front row together on Sunday with seven-time ruler Hamilton of Mercedes trying to surpass Michael Schumacher in the all-time championship stakes.
21 battles down, one to go
We're at the tail end of a truly unforgettable season
A strategy twist to the final meeting of the 2021 F1 season however is that they will start on different tires, with Verstappen on soft and Hamilton on medium.
This came after the former was forced into switching to softs during the second session after locking his breaks and subsequently damaging one of his medium tires, which defines the starting tire for the main event.
Sunday's front row? It just had to be these two!@Max33Verstappen starts P1 on soft tyres, with @LewisHamilton alongside him in second on the mediums
“I felt good on both tires,” said Verstappen. “In the evening, it is a bit cooler so a bit easier for the soft tires.
“We will see tomorrow,” he stressed, paving the way for what is certain to be a thrilling finale if the twists and turns of the past few weeks are anything to go by.
Separated by just a single win, Verstappen (9) clinched two consecutive GPs in the US and Mexico before Hamilton (8) embarked on a trio of victories in Brazil, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
