Novak Djokovic will miss the Miami Open due to his vaccine status

Novak Djokovic will miss the Miami Open next week after being denied an exemption that would have allowed him to enter the United States despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19, the official said on Friday. Tournament Director, James Blake.

“We tried to get Novak Djokovic allowed to get a bye, but that couldn’t happen,” Blake told Tennis Channel. “Obviously we are one of the best tournaments in the world. We would like to have the best players able to play. We have done everything we can. We have tried to talk to the government, but it is not up to us . “

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and senses Marco Rubio and Rick Scott were among those who asked the Biden administration to allow Djokovic to enter the United States and compete in the tournament he won six times, the most recently in 2016.

Djokovic, 35, is also missing the ongoing Masters tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., due to his inability to secure the bye.

The United States currently bars unvaccinated foreigners from entering the country, a policy that is expected to be lifted when the government ends its declarations of a COVID-19 emergency on May 11.

A spokesman for the US Tennis Association said on Saturday the group was “very hopeful” that Djokovic would be allowed into the country for the US Open, which begins on August 28.

“We are hopeful that the policy barring Novak Djokovic from entering the United States will be reversed or lapsed in the near future,” USTA’s Chris Widmaier wrote to The Associated Press. “There are no COVID-19 restrictions in place at the US Open for any player, fan or other participant. Novak, one of our sport’s great champions, would be welcome to attend the 2023 US Open.”

Djokovic, who missed the Australian Open last year after being expelled from that country due to his vaccination status, said he would skip Grand Slam tournaments rather than receive a COVID-19 vaccine. 19.

He won his record 22nd Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January. He hasn’t played in Indian Wells or the Miami Open since 2019.

A representative for Djokovic said the player would make no further comment regarding his absence from the Miami tournament and plans to return to the tour at the Monte Carlo Masters clay-court event which begins on April 9.

Djokovic will then continue his preparation for Roland-Garros in May by playing the Srpska Open in Banja Luka, Bosnia.

Reuters contributed to this report.