Novak Djokovic's coach Ivanisevic tests positive, Dominic Thiem under scrutiny again

Just when we thought that the lid may have finally closed on the Adia Tour mess, Goran Ivanisevic, the coach of World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, has announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19. What is more disturbing is that Ivanisevic had tested negative twice before this positive result, bringing into scrutiny Austrian ace Dominic Thiem - who has been traveling all across Europe to participate in exhibitions.

Thiem would have thought he had finally quietened everyone who had been urging him to self-isolate, after he released a statement yesterday saying that he had tested negative five times in the last 10 days. But Ivanisevic's development has made it clear that false negatives are highly possible, which would effectively put everyone in Dominic Thiem's vicinity at risk.

Goran Ivanisevic made to eat his words after his spirited defense of Novak Djokovic

Goran Ivanisevic said that Novak Djokovic was trying to do a great humanitarian work

A couple of days ago, in the immediate aftermath of the Adria Tour blow-up, Goran Ivanisevic had passionately defended his employer. 17-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has himself tested positive for coronavirus, but Ivanisevic refused to blame the Serb for the debacle.

The Croat accused Novak Djokovic's critics of latching on to the first opportunity they got to attack the Serbian legend. He went on to add the common refrain being used by everybody defending Djokovic - that Novak Djokovic's intentions were pure and good-hearted.

"Everybody is smart now, and they are attacking Novak Djokovic," Ivanisevic had said. "We were locked down for three months. He organized this tour. The players came in Belgrade and we had good tennis and a good atmosphere. Everything in Serbia and everything in Croatia was done with the recommendations by the government."

Goran Ivanisevic, Novak Djokovic's coach, has tested positive for COVID-19, bringing Dominic Thiem under scrutiny as well

When Novak Djokovic's coach was posed the all-important question about the offsite activities of the players, including partying at a nightclub and playing football and basketball, he simply said: "Nobody forced anybody to dance".

This rather callous comment has somewhat blown up in Ivanisevic's face now. Tennis's most famous wild-card - who was one of the 'on-stage' dancers at the nightclub party - has now tested positive for coronavirus, after previously testing negative twice.

This was Ivanisevic's third test overall and second after the 'safety bubble' of the Adria Tour was burst. The Croatian tennis legend had taken one voluntary test prior to the Zadar leg of the Adria Tour on account of feeling sick, which had also returned negative.

Ivanisevic is feeling healthy and is experiencing no symptoms, much like Novak Djokovic and his wife. However, the Croat urged everyone who had been in contact with him to take good care of themselves - in other words, to get tested and self-isolate.

The ATP's protocols relating to coronavirus require all players and staff coming in contact with an infected person.to get tested every second day until the incubation period of 14 days is over.

Ivanisevic's positive test puts Dominic Thiem on the radar again

Dominic Thiem, despite not being one of the positive cases from the Adria Tour (yet), has found himself facing unrelenting criticism for continuing with his "exhibition tour".

Dominic Thiem was very much a part of the Adria Tour, having played in its Belgrade leg. And fans as well as mediapersons have been asking him to quarantine himself ever since, like all the other players of the tournament.

Dominic Thiem had won the Belgrade leg of Novak Djokovic's tournament

But Dominic Thiem, who traveled from Belgrade to Nice for Patrick Mouratoglou's Ultimate Tennis Showdown and then to Austria for the Generali Austrian Pro Series, has assured fans that he is following all protocols laid down by the ATP. Dominic Thiem has been been tested five times in the last 10 days, with every test returning negative.

While everyone is relieved for Dominic Thiem, and testing negative five times surely gives him a more than decent chance of not having been infected during his time in Serbia, Ivanisevic testing positive once again brings to the fore how tricky the virus is.

The 48-year-old's positive test result on the third attempt shows that it is really not safe to be travelling around and meeting with people until the incubation period of 14 days is over.

The recent development could pin Dominic Thiem in a corner once again, and he might be forced to reconsider his plans. But the good news for Thiem is that he was last in contact with the Adria contagion on 15 June, so the busybody Austrian might have to self-isolate only for a few days - after which he can return to the court.

Nevertheless, the development with Goran Ivanisevic is one of the reasons Dominic Thiem's upcoming travel schedule is a thing of bother, and makes most tennis fans super-nervous.