Global Courant 2023-05-02 11:56:50
Djokovic can play after missing the US Open last year and being banned from entering the country earlier this year.
Novak Djokovic, the world number one in men’s tennis, will be able to compete in this year’s US Open after the United States government announced plans to end COVID-19 vaccination requirements for international travelers on May 11.
The White House said Monday that the requirements will end when the public health emergency ends next week.
Djokovic, one of the most high-profile athletes not vaccinated against COVID-19, missed the 2022 US Open due to his vaccine status.
The 35-year-old Serb was unable to enter the country this year after unsuccessfully applying for special permission from the US government to participate in the Masters tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami.
Djokovic missed last year’s Australian Open and was expelled from the country due to his vaccination status and has said he would rather skip grand slams than get a COVID shot.
However, with easy restrictions by the Australian government later in 2022, the Serb competed in and won the 2023 edition of the tournament in Melbourne, tying Rafael Nadal’s record of 22 men’s Grand Slam singles titles.
While Djokovic has declined to say explicitly whether he received injections to protect against the coronavirus, he would not have needed an exemption to enter Australia in 2022 if he had been fully vaccinated.
In April 2020, he issued a statement saying: “Personally, I am against the vaccination against COVID-19 in order to travel. But if it becomes mandatory, I will have to decide whether to do it or not.”
Months later, he and his wife tested positive for the disease caused by the coronavirus after a series of exhibition games he hosted without social distancing or masking.
In January 2022, Djokovic knew he had tested positive for COVID-19 when he attended a newspaper interview and photo shoot at his tennis center in Serbia, admitting he had made an “error of judgement” and should have gone into isolation immediately.
Djokovic has won three of his 22 major US Open titles.
The tournament will be held this year from August 28 to September 10.
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