Novak Djokovic to overlook Miami Open over vaccine standing

Novak Djokovic will miss subsequent week’s Miami Open after being denied an exemption that may have allowed him to enter the U.S. regardless of not being vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19, event director James Blake mentioned Friday.

“We tried to get Novak Djokovic to be allowed to get an exemption, but that wasn’t able to happen,” Blake advised Tennis Channel. “Obviously, we’re one of the premier tournaments in the world. We’d like to have the best players that can play. We did all that we could. We tried to talk to the government, but that’s out of our hands.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott have been amongst these calling on the Biden administration to permit Djokovic to enter the U.S. and compete on the event he has gained six occasions.

Djokovic, 35, can be lacking the continued Masters event in Indian Wells, California, because of his incapability to safe the exemption.

The U.S. at present bars unvaccinated foreigners from entry into the nation, a coverage that’s anticipated to be lifted when the federal government ends its COVID-19 emergency declarations Could 11.

Djokovic, who missed final 12 months’s Australian Open after being deported from that nation due to his vaccination standing, has mentioned he would skip Grand Slams fairly than obtain a COVID-19 shot.

He gained his record-tying twenty second Grand Slam on the Australian Open in January. He has not performed at Indian Wells or the Miami Open since 2019.

A consultant for Djokovic mentioned the participant would make no additional remark concerning his absence from the Miami event and that he deliberate to return to the tour on the Monte Carlo Masters clay-court occasion that begins April 9.

Djokovic will then proceed his preparations for the French Open in Could by enjoying within the Srpska Open in Banja Luka, Bosnia.