Unvaccinated Novak Djokovic out of US Open; can’t journey to States

Novak Djokovic is not going to play within the U.S. Open, as anticipated, as a result of he’s not vaccinated towards COVID-19 and thus isn’t allowed to journey to the United States.

Djokovic introduced his withdrawal from the 12 months’s final Grand Slam match on Twitter on Thursday, hours earlier than the draw for the occasion was revealed. “Sadly, I will not be able to travel to NY this time for US Open,” Djokovic wrote, wishing luck to his fellow gamers, and stated he would “keep in good shape and positive spirit and wait for an opportunity to compete again.” Play is scheduled to start at Flushing Meadows on Monday. Djokovic is a 35-year-old from Serbia who owns 21 main championships, one behind Rafael Nadal for the boys’s report. Three of Djokovic’s Slam trophies got here on the U.S. Open, in 2011, 2015 and 2018.

Sadly, I won’t be able to journey to NY this time for US Open. Thank you #NoleFam in your messages of affection and help. ❤️ Good luck to my fellow gamers! I’ll preserve in good condition and optimistic spirit and await a chance to compete once more. 💪🏼 See you quickly tennis world! 👋🏼

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) August 25, 2022

He additionally was the runner-up there a half-dozen instances, together with final season, when his pursuit of the primary calendar-year Grand Slam in males’s tennis since 1969 ended with a loss within the remaining to Daniil Medvedev.

Foreign residents who haven’t been vaccinated towards COVID-19 are at present unable to enter the usor Canada, and Djokovic has stated he gained’t get the pictures, even when that forestalls him from enjoying in sure tournaments. The U.S. Tennis Association has stated all alongside it’ll comply with authorities guidelines about vaccination standing for this 12 months’s Open. There is not any vaccine mandate on the match for gamers or their help groups — which means that an unvaccinated American could be allowed to compete — and spectators is not going to be required to put on masks.

Djokovic missed the Australian Open in January after a protracted authorized saga ended together with his deportation from that nation as a result of he isn’t vaccinated towards COVID-19. He additionally sat out 4 vital tournaments in North America in 2022, together with in Montreal and Cincinnati not too long ago.

He did play within the French Open, the place he misplaced within the quarterfinals to Nadal, and at Wimbledon, the place Djokovic gained the title. After beating Nick Kyrgios within the Wimbledon remaining on July 10, Djokovic stated he “would love” to take part within the final Grand Slam match of the 12 months at Flushing Meadows, however he additionally acknowledged, “I’m not planning to get vaccinated.” About three weeks later, Djokovic posted on social media that he was holding out hope of getting the possibility to play within the U.S. Open, writing:

“I am preparing as if I will be allowed to compete, while I await to hear if there is any room for me to travel to US. Fingers crossed!” Djokovic has spent extra weeks at No. 1 than anybody else within the historical past of the ATP rankings. He is No. 6 this week, partially as a result of no rankings factors have been awarded at Wimbledon this 12 months.

Among the opposite gamers who is not going to be on the U.S. Open for varied causes are No. 2-ranked Alexander Zverev, the 2020 runner-up in New York; 2016 champion Angelique Kerber; 2019 French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova; Gael Monfils and Reilly Opelka.