It has been two years since the world no. 2 and 23-time Grand Slam champion set foot on US soil. And it has everything to do with the controversy Novak Djokovic found himself in the midst of due to his decision to not get vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus.
The country’s health policy did not allow foreign tourists into the country if they didn’t get vaccinated. And Djokovic had famously announced his decision against the vaccination.
The 35-year-old Serb was denied entry this year after attempting to obtain special clearance from the US authorities to compete in Indian Wells and Miami. For the same reasons, he was also unable to participate in The US Open the previous year.
Novak Djokovic has arrived in the USA.
For 2 years, they barred him from entering and painted him as a villain. They said he was a threat to public health.
Now, he enters America with his head held high and his dignity intact.
This is a victory for freedom. pic.twitter.com/cQFiCy9nfX
— Danny 🐊 (@DjokovicFan_) August 13, 2023
Nole fans from the US and across the globe are fully excited as their idol is returning after two years/
I am excited to see him play in the US! 😍🥳
— 🦋 Yolita🐊 (@Yolitatennis) August 13, 2023
He will finally be able to participate at the US Open where he has previously won 3 times. “The US Open and Davis Cup are the most important competitions for me,” he told to Sports Klub. The US government announced that it will terminate its Covid-19 immunization requirements for international tourists on May 11. Making Djokovic eligible to take part in the US Open this year.
After getting cleared by the US government, Djokovic has also decided to play in the Cincinnati Open. The world no. 2 will kick off his preparations for Flushing Meadows there.
😃👋💪👏🙌🫶 @CincyTennis #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/zSKHpQ9f19
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) August 13, 2023
The Cincinnati Masters’ two-time champion will take part in the competition for the first time since 2019. He will start the competition as the second seed and will have a bye in the second round. Djokovic will be aiming for his 24th Grand Slam, a feat achieved by no man in the history of tennis, at the US Open after a brutal defeat in Wimbledon.
Why was Novak Djokovic barred from entering the country?
Nole has had his fair share of controversy, both on and off the court. He has always been picky about what he puts into his body. From gluten-free diets to rigorous workout sessions, it is sufficient to say that Djokovic is a health freak.
And while other players took their jab of vaccines and continued to play. Djokovic refused to budge, claiming he was unsure of the vaccine’s effectiveness against an adversary who was already mutating.
Novak Djokovic: I’m not anti-vax but will sacrifice trophies if told to get jab. pic.twitter.com/EaYWFmzzxE
— 🇺🇸 Pismo 🇺🇸 (@Pismo_B) February 16, 2022
“I’ve always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body.” He said in an interview. “How are we expecting that (the vaccine) to solve our problem when this coronavirus is mutating regularly from what I understand?” Djokovic continued to add.
Novak went as far as to admit that he was willing to sacrifice a few grand slam tournaments to prove his point. He went on to get deported from the island continent due to his infamous vaccine stance. Djokovic was not able to play any ATP tournaments or the Grand Slam in the US either.
While he could not escape the crutches of the widespread virus because both Nole and his wife got it in 2020, Djokovic still maintained his stance and did not get a shot.
Novak Djokovic was, unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, according to several humanitarian leftists and scientists, barred from playing not only in the US but also in Australia.
