The Frenchman said the future was “rather bleak for the unvaccinated”.

“I don’t think he’s the only one to have had one. And I wouldn’t like to be in his place when getting off the plane because he won’t have,I think,a welcome worthy of a world No. 1. If[Novak Djokovic’s medical] exemption was accepted,it was accepted for valid reasons,” Herbert toldL’Equipe.

“I say to myself that maybe there will be a ray of hope to come out of this ultra-divisive theme. For now,the future is rather bleak for the unvaccinated.”

Djokovic’s revelation on Tuesday night that he was travelling to Australia to defend his title after getting “exemption permission” was met with widespread community anger.

Support for Djokovic,however,came from Katarina Pijetlovic,an advisory board member of the Professional Tennis Players Association - an organisation which,with Djokovic’s backing,is taking on the tennis establishment.

“He and other others have received exemption from Victoria gov after a rigorous review process by the relevant medical boards,” Pijetlovic tweeted.

“[The] hysteria and spreading blind hatred about it have to stop.”

The Victorian Government has encouraged Djokovic,due to arrive in Melbourne on Wednesday night,to detail the reason for his exemption.

Russian player Natalia Vikhlyantseva was unable to travel to Australia due to her vaccine,Sputnik V,not being recognised by Australian authorities.

Locally,emerging Australian teenagerOlivia Gadecki is skipping the summer because she doesn’t want to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

The 19-year-old shot up the rankings this year and represented Australia in doubles at the Billie Jean King Cup finals in November. One year ago Gadecki did pre-season training with fellow Queenslander and world No.1 Ashleigh Barty.

While none of the playing bodies have mandated vaccination for their members,a WTA spokesperson said:“Each tournament with their local governments/jurisdiction dictate the vaccine mandates - at this point in time.”