VIENNA: World number three Dominic Thiem will donate the prize money that he won in Belgrade during the ill-fated Adria Tour, where Novak Djokovic and three other participants tested positive for coronavirus, his father was quoted by Austrian media on Friday.

Thiem took part in the Belgrade leg of the exhibition event organised by Djokovic, where social distancing was minimal and matches were played in front of thousands of fans, earning a storm of criticism.

Thiem’s father, Wolfgang, who also trains the 26-year-old, defended Djokovic, telling Austria’s daily Presse that the world number one had not broken any of Serbia’s and Croatia’s coronavirus rules and the tour had aimed to collect money for charity.

“Of course the dancing in the nightclub [during the tour] was not ideal, but Djokovic did nothing bad in principle,” he was quoted as saying.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2020