Will unvaccinated Novak Djokovic play at the US Open?

There is little more than a month to go before the start of the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the calendar year (29 August - 11 September), and the chances of Novak Djokovic contesting the tournament appear slimmer and slimmer as the days go by.

In recent days, there was a glimmer of hope that Djokovic would be present at Flushing Meadows, after the Cincinnati Masters and the US Open published the list of players registered for the tournaments, with Djokovic among them. A clear signal that shows that the Serbian intends to play in New York if he is allowed to. Djokovic has publicly acknowledged his refusal to be vaccinated against covid-19, while the United States requires foreign citizens entering the country to have been fully vaccinated.

US Open “will respect US government’s position” on covid-19 vaccination

However, a statement issued by the US Open on Wednesday cast doubt on Djokovic’s presence in the Big Apple, as it indicates that the 35-year-old’s presence on the list is a formality and that any decision on his entry into the country comes down to the United States government.

“Per the ITF Grand Slam rulebook, all eligible players are automatically entered into the men’s and women’s singles main-draw fields based on ranking 42 days prior to the first Monday of the event,” the statement says. “The US Open does not have a vaccination mandate in place for players, but it will respect the US government’s position regarding travel into the country for unvaccinated non-US citizens.”

Djokovic at risk of missing chance to match Nadal

Djokovic now depends on the US changing its rules for unvaccinated foreigners. If it doesn’t, he’ll miss a Grand Slam for the same reason he could not play at the Australian Open in January, after being deported from Australia following a battle in the country’s courts. The 21-time Grand Slam winner would miss out on an opportunity to draw level with Rafa Nadal’s record haul of men’s major titles.