Novak Djokovic will not play at Miami Open after being denied entry to US

Novak Djokovic is one of the most high-profile athletes who is unvaccinated against COVID-19. AP

Novak Djokovic, the world No 1 men’s player in tennis, will not be participating in the upcoming Miami Open as he had been denied entry into the US because he is unvaccinated against COVID-19, it was confirmed on Saturday.

International visitors are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to visit US and Djokovic had applied for a special exemption but failed to gain permission. Djokovic in past has confirmed that he has not taken the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We tried to get Novak Djokovic to be allowed to get an exemption, but that wasn’t able to happen,” Miami Open tournament director James Blake said in an interview with the 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 Governor Ron DeSantis and the state’s two US senators were among those calling on the Biden administration to allow world number one Djokovic to enter the US and compete at the tournament he has won six times.

Djokovic, 35, is also missing the ongoing Masters event in Indian Wells, California due to inability to secure the exemption.

Djokovic, who missed last year’s Australian Open after being deported from that country due to his vaccination status, has said he would skip Grand Slams rather than have a COVID shot.

He won his record-tying 22nd Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January. He has not played at Indian Wells or the Miami Open – which together comprise the “Sunshine Double” – since 2019.

With Reuters inputs

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