Novak Djokovic’s bid to achieve entry to the USA for ATP occasions at Indian Wells and Miami obtained assist from the US Tennis Affiliation and US legislation makers on Friday.
The Serbian star is at present barred from coming into the USA as a result of he’s unvaccinated in opposition to Covid-19, however has petitioned US authorities for particular permission to enter.
The US Open Twitter feed featured a put up on Friday saying American tennis authorities hoped he could be allowed to enter.
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“Novak Djokovic is one the best champions our sport has ever seen,” the put up learn.
“The USTA and US Open are hopeful that Novak is profitable in his petition to enter the nation, and that the followers will have the ability to see him again in motion at Indian Wells and Miami.” The Indian Wells ATP 1000 occasion begins subsequent Wednesday within the California desert and is adopted by the distinguished event in Miami.
The US nonetheless doesn’t permit unvaccinated worldwide travellers to enter the nation, with the Transportation Safety Administration lately indicating the coverage wouldn’t change till not less than mid-April.
Republican Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio despatched a letter to President Joe Biden on Friday, urging the Biden administration to grant the 22-time Grand Slam champion a waiver to enter the US for the Miami Open later this month, regardless of his vaccine standing.
“It has come to our consideration that your administration is in receipt of a request to waive the present vaccine mandate for worldwide travellers coming into the USA from top-ranked males’s tennis participant Novak Djokovic,” the letter started.
“We write to induce you to grant the requested waiver, which is critical to permit Mr. Djokovic to compete within the Miami Open skilled tennis event held in our dwelling state of Florida starting March 19, 2023.”
The letter cites the president’s remarks throughout a “60 Minutes” interview in September that the “pandemic is over” and Dr. Anthony Fauci’s feedback on the efficacy of the vaccine as motive sufficient to grant Djokovic a waiver.
“Mr. Djokovic is a world-class athlete in peak bodily situation who isn’t at high-risk of extreme problems from COVID-19.
“It appears each illogical and misaligned with the opinions of your individual administration to not grant him the waiver he requests in order that he could journey to the US to compete in knowledgeable occasion.”
It continued: “The dearth of public well being threat, together with the clear advantage of his participation in an occasion that will probably be a serious driver for our native economies ought to make the choice earlier than you easy and function a precedent for others in his place, whereas hopefully resulting in the total reversal of this mandate for different overseas guests who want to legally journey to our nice nation.”
Djokovic stated in Dubai this week that he was nonetheless ready to listen to if the US would give him particular permission to enter, telling reporters that he hoped to listen to a call earlier than the Indian Wells draw is carried out on Monday.
“Regardless of the choice is earlier than the draw, if I’m not allowed, I’m going to drag out, in fact, earlier than the draw,” the world primary stated.
Djokovic’s vaccination standing noticed him deported from Australia shortly earlier than the 2022 Australian Open. After profitable Wimbledon he additionally missed the US Open final yr due to the journey restriction.
He returned to Australia in January, profitable the 2023 Australian Open for a record-equalling twenty second Grand Slam singles title.
He took his match win streak to twenty in Dubai this week earlier than falling on Friday to Daniil Medvedev within the semi-finals.
