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The ultimate professional objective for Novak Djokovic is to amass the most male Grand Slam singles titles by the time he retires.
Rafael Nadal, the record-holder for male winners, has more major victories than the Serb, who now has 21 after winning Wimbledon in July. But because he chose not to have the COVID-19 vaccine, Djokovic lost out on chances to increase his tally this year.
Despite previously expressing his “fingers crossed” that he would be in the draw when the Grand Slam begins on August 29, the nine-time Australian Open champion was unable to compete in Melbourne and may also be absent at the US Open.
Is Djokovic going to be in the US Open
No, not right away.
Since October 2021, the US has prohibited the entry of non-vaccinated foreign nationals. As a result, Djokovic has not received the Covid-19 vaccination. Djokovic’s eligibility to participate in the US Open was still listed as of Monday.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the nation’s health protection agency, states that a non-US citizen must “show proof of having fully immunized against Covid-19” before taking a flight from another country.
Novak Djokovic was disqualified from the Cincinnati Open last week and the ATP Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami in March and April due to the ruling. Additionally, he could not compete in the Rogers Cup, another Masters event held in Montreal this month, due to Canada’s prohibition on foreign visitors who are not immunized.
The likelihood that the ban on non-immunized visitors will be lifted before the start of the US Open has increased among Djokovic’s fans and maybe even the player himself due to these circumstances.
Ever since the CDC’s standards were altered to permit unvaccinated Americans to travel abroad, many have questioned the scientific rationale for denying Djokovic entry to the US. There has been no further progress, and Djokovic’s window of opportunity is rapidly closing. The Grand Slam competition will start in one week.
Read Also: Novak Djokovic makes US Open entry lists despite being doubtful
About 50,000 people wanted him to be allowed to play, and shortly after the petition was started, Djokovic congratulated those who had signed it.
Possibilities of the rules being altered to allow him to participate?
On August 11, the CDC loosened some of its Covid-19 limitations, bringing some requirements for US citizens without the vaccination in line with those for those who have.
In addition to outlining the modifications, the CDC noted that it would “try to synchronize stand-alone advisory materials” in a number of areas, including travel, in the upcoming weeks.
The CDC website states on the page listing the specifics of visitors’ immunization proof that it is “reviewing this page to conform with newest standards.”
The likelihood that the travel ban on non-immunized visitors will be lifted before the start of the US Open has increased among Djokovic supporters and maybe even the player himself due to these circumstances.
Ever since the CDC’s standards were altered to permit unvaccinated Americans to travel abroad, many have questioned the scientific rationale for denying Djokovic entry to the US Open.
Read Also: What’s next for Novak Djokovic after Wimbledon 2022 win?
Why are we in this predicament right now?
Djokovic has long said he didn’t want to get vaccinated, and in February, he told the BBC that he was willing to forgo taking part in the main events to uphold his beliefs.
That occurred a few weeks after he was expelled from Australia following a protracted and well-publicized legal dispute regarding the legality of his admission visa.
Djokovic responded that he was attempting to be as “in tune” with his body as possible when asked why he didn’t want the vaccination.
Novak Djokovic claimed to have “always been a great student of wellness, wellbeing, health, and nutrition,” which had an impact on him. He cited the benefits of changing his diet and sleep schedule on his athletic abilities.
Nevertheless, he insisted that he had “never been anti-vaccination.”
One of the last times this happened was when Novak Djokovic was unable to compete because he was unvaccinated. He was not prohibited from competing at Wimbledon or the French Open, and most nations that hold ATP events now have more lenient immunization regulations.
