Camila Giorgi started the Australian Open with a straightforward 6-0, 6-1 win. The press conference proved a little more challenging.
The Italian tennis star repeatedly denied allegations that she obtained a false COVID-19 vaccine certificate to allow her to travel in a press conference that turned testy in Melbourne.
A doctor is under investigation in Italy for supplying false certificates and fake vaccines and Giorgi’s name was revealed in a long list of people implicated by an Italian newspaper.
On Tuesday after her easy first-round win over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Giorgi confirmed that she had visited the doctor but said she had done nothing wrong.
“I just did all my vaccination in different places, so the trouble is hers, not me,” she said. “So with that, I’m very calm. Of course, if not, I couldn’t come here and play this tennis, I think.”
Giorgi said she was vaccinated by the Italian doctor, and by medical officials in countries elsewhere.
“Once. The other vaccination, I did it in different kind of places, so it’s what I’m trying to explain,” she said.
Her father, Sergio Giorgi, was sat at the back of the interview room on Tuesday at Melbourne Park and when the media conference ended, he said: “Unbelievable, no questions about tennis.”
Ahead of the tournament, Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said he was not fully aware of the fake certificate claims.
“I think there’s still a lot to be uncovered on that and I think that’s going to be ultimately up to their family and the relevant authorities including the tour,” he said. “I don’t really know any further detail.”
— With AP