Tennis legend Novak Djokovic took to Twitter to announce that he will not be playing in the US Open which starts on Monday.
Due to travel limitations, three-time US Open winner Novak Djokovic withdrew from the season’s final Grand Slam on Thursday before the draw was made. It is due to COVID-19 protocols that he will not be able to travel to the US.
His Twitter post read– “Sadly, I will not be able to travel to NY this time for US Open. Thank you #NoleFam for your messages of love and support. Good luck to my fellow players! I’ll keep in good shape and positive spirit and wait for an opportunity to compete again. See you soon tennis world!”
The 35-year-old Serb will miss the Grand Slam for the second time because he is not vaccinated for COVID-19. Earlier this year, he was deported before the Australian Open. The announcement was actually widely anticipated and came mere hours before the draw of the final slam of the season was made. The organizers said that he would be replaced by a lucky loser from those that qualified.
“It is unfortunate”
“Novak is a great champion and it is very unfortunate that he will be unable to compete at the 2022 US Open, as he is unable to enter the country due to the federal government’s vaccination policy for non-US citizens. We look forward to welcoming Novak back at the 2023 US Open,” said tournament director, Stacey Allaster.
Djokovic appeared to be preparing for the tournament after winning Wimbledon in July and said he is hoping the US would amend its rules to allow him to compete at the year’s last major. On July 30, he uploaded a video of himself working out on a hard court.
The tennis legend John McEnroe deemed the whole situation as a “joke”. He said, “At this point, in the pandemic, we’re two and half years in, I think people in all parts of the world know more about it, and the idea that he can’t travel here to play, to me is a joke.
Novak Djokovic was allowed to play in 2020, 2021
It is ironic how he was allowed to play and compete back in 2020 and 2021 when the pandemic was at its peak. He championed the US Open in 2011, 2015, and 2018. He has not competed since winning his seventh Wimbledon championship last month, bringing his total to 21 Grand Slam titles—one less than Rafael Nadal’s record of 22.