Following the US Open announcement that it will abide by American government regulations on the Covid-19 vaccine, Novak Djokovic’s chances of competing there took a further hit.
The 35-year-old, a three-time Flushing Meadows champion, was added to the entry list for the year’s last Grand Slam on Wednesday, but that is the only procedure and does not guarantee that he will be permitted to compete.
Along with British players Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu, who intends to defend the title she won as a qualifier last year, he was placed in the lineup for the year’s last Grand Slam.
Serena Williams, a six-time champion, will also be competing and is aiming to tie Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam victories at the age of 40.
Despite having expressed earlier his hopes for a respite, Djokovic, who would be trying to surpass Rafael Nadal and move up to the top of the all-time men’s record with a win in New York, looks unlikely to participate.
In order to enter the US, non-citizens must be properly immunised against the coronavirus; as Djokovic has repeatedly stated, he will not take the vaccine, he will not be permitted entry.
According to the Grand Slam Rule Book, all qualified players are automatically allowed into the men’s and women’s singles main draw fields based on ranking 42 days before to the event’s opening Monday, according to a statement from the US Open, which does not have its own vaccination regulations.
“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 position has already cost him the opportunity to compete in the Australian Open this year, and it appears that it will do so once more.
Djokovic is quite unlikely to be in New York, but Williams’ inclusion on the entry list means that another past champion will be there.
Six-time champion Williams announced her intention to compete in her home Grand Slam by agreeing to play the majority of the US hard-court swing, which includes events in Toronto and Cincinnati.
Kyle Edmund of the United Kingdom will compete in his first singles match at a grand slam in two years.
Due to a knee injury, the 27-year-career old’s has been put on hold, but he made a comeback at Wimbledon by competing in the mixed doubles.
Additionally, he has made use of his protected ranking of 48 to guarantee that, health permitting, he will be a part of the main draw.
Request for Djokovic to Participate
A petition requesting the United States Tennis Association (USTA) to collaborate with the government of the nation to permit Djokovic to compete in the US Open despite his unwillingness to take the Covid-19 vaccine has received around 12,000 signatures as of right now.
The Serb, who earlier this month defeated Australia’s Nick Kyrgios to retain his Wimbledon title, declared in February that he was willing to forgo Grand Slam competitions rather than receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
On August 29, the US Open main draw gets underway.
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