An Italian doctor has claimed Camila Giorgi did not take the vaccine against Covid (Picture: Getty)
Italian tennis player Camila Giorgi has denied reports she used a fake Covid certificate to play at the Australian Open last year.
Melbourne Park organisers enforced strict rules over coronavirus vaccinations at their 2022 tournament and players needed to have the jab in order to be able to compete Down Under – a rule which saw Novak Djokovic unable to feature.
Djokovic, who openly refuses to take the Covid vaccine, was famously denied entry and deported after spending time locked up in an immigration facility at last year’s Australian Open.
Italian doctor Daniela Grillone – who is currently facing a probe from authorities for allegedly delivering fake Covid vaccinations to patients – has now claimed that Italy’s Giorgi never received her jab and therefore also should not have played.
Giorgi, who beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-0 6-1 in her opening Australian Open match this week, reached the third round at last year’s major tournament.
The 31-year-old, who has won three WTA Tour titles, was quizzed about the new reports following her win over Russia’s Pavlyuchenkova and denied the claims.
‘I did everything what they ask, the Australian government,’ world No.70 Giorgi said on Tuesday as she prepares to face Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the second round.
‘Each year we are fine with that. Of course. I did all vaccination, yes. The doctor has been investigate [sic], and she had troubles in this year with the law a few times.
‘I just did all my vaccination in different places. So the trouble is hers. Not me. So with that, I’m very calm. Of course, if not, I couldn’t come here and play this tennis.’
Her father, Sergio Giorgi, was also present in the press conference and became frustrated – telling reporters that he ‘did not like’ their questions – and asking them to focus on his daughter’s victory over Pavlyuchenkova.
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Her father was angry at the reporter’s question…