World No 1 tennis star, Novak Djokovic is reportedly set to be excluded from this year’s US Open as he continues to refuse to take the Covid-19 vaccine.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion was booted out of Australia a day before the tournament at Melbourne Park began in January this year, after immigration minister Alex Hawke canceled his visa.
The Telegraph is reporting that the Serb is now set to be banned from Flushing Meadows in August and September, with no plans for the country to relax immigration rules obliging travellers to have had the vaccine.
This comes after the US immigration last week dropped the requirement for all incoming passengers to return a negative Covid test before boarding an aeroplane, but maintained the need for proof of vaccination to be presented on arrival.
Djokovic meanwhile revealed in February – in his first interview since the farce in Australia – that he would refuse to play at future Grand Slams if it means he has to take a Covid vaccine.
The 35-year-old is now likely to miss the first major of next year too, with Australia also likely to maintain its vaccination requirements.
However, the report adds the United States Tennis Association are not expected to follow in Wimbledon’s approach and ban Russian and Belarussian players from competing in New York.
It furthers the All England Clubs’ isolation on the issue, with the USTA reportedly keen to avoid enforcing bans motivated by politics.
The report also claims unlike the UK Government’s desire to avoid Russian victories at SW19, there was no instruction from their US counterparts to limit Russian participation.
