Published on : 25/08/2022 – 17:13
Novak Djokovic announced Thursday that he will not play the US Open. The tennis player cannot travel to the United States for lack of vaccination against Covid-19.
The soap opera lasted less than that of the Australian Open but the result is the same: Novak Djokovic will miss the US Open, for lack of vaccination against Covid-19. The player announced it on Thursday August 25 on social networks.
“Unfortunately, I will not be able to travel to New York this time for the US Open (…) Good luck to my fellow players! I will keep myself in good shape and in a positive state of mind by waiting to be able to resume competition”, writes on his Twitter account the Serb who hoped until the last moment for a change in health measures imposing vaccination against Covid-19 for entry into American territory.
Sadly, I will not be able to travel to NY this time for US Open. Thank you #Don’tFam for your messages of love and support. ❤️ Good luck to my fellow players! I’ll keep in good shape and positive spirit and wait for an opportunity to compete again. ???????? See you soon tennis world! ????????
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) August 25, 2022
Defending Wimbledon winner
Djokovic, who won this summer at Wimbledon his 21e Grand Slam title, hoped to be able to try to equal in New York the record of 22 major titles of Rafael Nadal. For the second time in his career (after 2017), he will miss the American Major, which he has won three times (2011, 2015, 2018).
Last year, he came close to winning the Grand Slam, but lost in the US Open final to Daniil Medvedev after winning the Australian Open, Roland-Garros and Wimbledon in succession.
This year, he was expelled from Australia just before the start of the tournament after a political-legal-sanitary imbroglio linked to his non-vaccination against Covid-19. Then he lost in the quarter-finals at Roland-Garros against Nadal.
He had resumed his march forward at Wimbledon, but his victory had not brought him the slightest point in the standings since the Major on grass was sanctioned by the ATP and the WTA (which respectively manage the men’s and women’s professional circuits) for refusing entries from Russian and Belarusian players in retaliation for the war in Ukraine.
At 35, the indisputable world No. 1 in 2021 has thus fallen to 6e ATP rank and should drop further since he will not be able to defend his points in New York.
With AFP