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Updated August 25th, 2022 at 20:20 IST

Novak Djokovic confirms he is not taking part in US Open; 'I will not be able to travel'

There was a lot of speculation around Novak Djokovic's participation at Flushing Meadows due to his Covid-19 vaccine status. Now, Serbian has made it official.

Reported by: Digital Desk
Novak Djokovic
Image: AP | Image:self
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21-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has confirmed that he will not be participating in the upcoming US Open. There was a lot of speculation around Djokovic's participation at Flushing Meadows this year due to his Covid-19 vaccine status. The  Serbian has now made it official that he will not be travelling to New York for the US Open and thanked the fans for their support. 

Novak Djokovic will not take part in US Open

Djokovic to miss his second Grand Slam of the year

Djokovic is a 35-year-old from Serbia who owns 21 major championships, one behind Rafael Nadal for the men’s record. Three of Djokovic’s Slam trophies came at the U.S. Open, in 2011, 2015 and 2018.

He also was the runner-up there a half-dozen times, including last season, when his pursuit of the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969 ended with a loss in the final to Daniil Medvedev.

Foreign citizens who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 are currently unable to enter the U.S or Canada, and Djokovic has said he won’t get the shots, even if that prevents him from playing in certain tournaments.

The U.S. Tennis Association has said all along it will follow government rules about vaccination status for this year’s Open. There is no vaccine mandate at the tournament for players or their support teams — meaning that an unvaccinated American would be allowed to compete — and spectators will not be required to wear masks.

Djokovic missed the Australian Open in January after a protracted legal saga ended with his deportation from that country because he isn’t vaccinated against COVID-19. He also sat out four significant tournaments in North America in 2022, including in Montreal and Cincinnati recently.

He did play in the French Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Nadal, and at Wimbledon, where Djokovic won the title.

After beating Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon final on July 10, Djokovic said he “would love” to participate in the last Grand Slam tournament of the year at Flushing Meadows, but he also acknowledged, “I’m not planning to get vaccinated.”

(with AP inputs)

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Published August 25th, 2022 at 20:13 IST

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