The unvaccinated Serbian star is ready to overlook out in New York
US Open organizers have given the most recent indication that Novak Djokovic will miss this yr’s event after unveiling a poster with the Serbian star absent. Djokovic has not formally withdrawn however is nearly sure to overlook the event as a result of an American entry ban for non-citizens who’re unvaccinated towards Covid-19.
The Batman-style poster shared by the US Open’s social media accounts – with the tagline ‘It’s time. Tennis stars are able to reply the US Open name’ – featured defending males’s champion Daniil Medvedev of Russia in addition to feminine counterpart Emma Raducanu of the UK.
There was additionally room for four-time event winner Rafael Nadal and ladies’s nice Serena Williams, who has introduced she is going to retire after the laborious courtroom showpiece, which will get underway on August 29.
WTA world primary Iga Swiatek was additionally current, as was rising males’s ace Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Australian Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios. Two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka accomplished the line-up.
Conspicuous by his absence was three-time New York king Djokovic – one thing which was not misplaced on followers.
“There’s no Djokovic on the poster. I guess he won’t be able to play. It’s a shame for him and the interests of the tournament…,” lamented one fan.
“Where’s Novak?! Let him play!” demanded one other.
“No Novak in this pic… Bad news,” replied a fellow tennis fanatic.
An even blunter response learn: “You should be embarrassed and ashamed if you don’t allow Novak Djokovic to play.”
The US Open doesn’t have a vaccine mandate in place for gamers – which means the likes of unjabbed American participant Tennys Sandgren can function – however authorities guidelines forestall foreigners from coming into the nation in the event that they haven’t been vaccinated.
American tennis icon John McEnroe has been amongst these to criticize the US authorities, calling the state of affairs “BS”, whereas members of the Serbian neighborhood within the nation have instantly known as on President Joe Biden to intervene.
But officers at Flushing Meadows have mentioned they’ll respect authorities guidelines, and this week reminded any guests that “if you are traveling from abroad to attend the US Open, you must be fully vaccinated with the primary series of an accepted Covid vaccine to travel to the United States (this applies to non-US citizens and/or non-US immigrants).”
Djokovic, 35, had been holding out hope of a late change in authorities coverage after the US CDC relaxed a few of its Covid tips earlier this month – though border restrictions weren’t amongst them.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion has continued his full preparations within the hopes that he may but function, even when it appears inevitable that his non-participation shall be confirmed imminently.
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The US Open would be the second Grand Slam of the yr that Djokovic has been pressured to overlook after he was deported from Australia in January in a row over his vaccine standing.
The star reiterated after profitable Wimbledon in July that he was not keen to get vaccinated, even when it meant lacking out on extra titles.
On Monday it was confirmed that males’s world quantity two Alexander Zverev would additionally miss the US Open after failing to recuperate from the ankle harm he sustained within the French Open semifinal earlier this yr.