The US requires non-citizens to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus
Novak Djokovic will not compete in the US Open after the tournament said it would respect the United States government’s rules on the covid-19 vaccine.
The US requires non-citizens to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus to enter the country, which means that Djokovic – who has publicly stated that he will not take the vaccine – will not be allowed into the US.
The 35-year-old, who was recently crowned Wimbledon champion, was also banned from playing in the Australian Open due to his vaccination status earlier this year.
Novak Djokovic: “I’m always a proponent for freedom to choose what is best for you.” @DjokerNole 🎯👏 pic.twitter.com/d7NrxLH1Sz
— Right Said Fred (@TheFreds) July 14, 2022
While the Serbian tennis star will have been eyeing up another Grand Slam, and said that he was waiting “hopefully for some good news from USA”, he will not be present at Flushing Meadows.
Djokovic, a three-time US Open champion, was named on the entry list for the final grand slam of the year on Wednesday. However, given that it is routine to do so, it was far from an indication that he would be allowed to compete.
The US Open does not have a vaccination mandate
A statement from the US Open read: “Per the Grand Slam Rule Book, all eligible players are automatically entered into the men’s and women’s singles main draw fields based on ranking 42 days prior to the first Monday of the event.
“The US Open does not have a vaccination mandate in place for players, but it will respect the US government’s position regarding travel into the country for unvaccinated non-US citizens.”
Djokovic’s win at Wimbledon took him to 21 Grand Slam titles, one behind Rafael Nadal on 22. The tournament in New York takes place from 29 August to 11 September.
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