Novak Djokovic has been a center of controversy for his views on vaccination and his position as a top player dealing with the restrictions many tennis tournaments place.
Djokovic will be skipping the last Grand Slam of the season and has missed events such as the Australian Open and the Sunshine Double due to his vaccination status. Travelers going to the United States must show proof of being fully vaccinated before they can board flights and enter the country.
Even though he has missed large events, Djokovic has said that he is willing to continue skipping events that require vaccination.
“I’m not vaccinated and I’m not planning to get vaccinated…,” said the Serbian international.
Controversy around Djokovic’s stance
Djokovic’s views on vaccination have netted him a fair number of critics. Journalist Ben Rothenberg has taken shots at Djokovic on Twitter for his unwillingness to vaccinate to participate in the US Open. In response to Rothenberg’s comments, fellow player Reilly Opelka fired back at the journalist, calling his behavior “unprofessional.”
“Why wouldn’t he give himself the best chance of playing? ‘Desperately clinging on’ has gotten him pretty far in this business wouldn’t you say? Your personal hatred and obsession towards Novak is so unprofessional,” wrote Opelka on Twitter in response to Rothenburg.
https://twitter.com/ReillyOpelka/status/1562171170513948673
Rothenburg responded to Opelka’s comments, saying that Djokovic “cost another player an opportunity to play the US Open.” In light of this response, Opelka continued to defend Djokovic.
“Imagine if Novak didn’t hang on when odds were against him.. Or let’s imagine he cared about opportunities for other players! He probably wouldn’t have 21 grand slams. Which makes me question if you either hate Novak or just not understand tennis,” wrote Opelka.
The 24-year-old spoke about his relationship with Djokovic back in January. He noted that the Serbian player had “done plenty of great things for the sport.”
“I have always had a good relationship with Novak. Not close, but we have exchanged some text messages a couple of times… I really can’t say anything bad about him. It’s always nice to speak with him and he is always happy whenever I meet him,” said Opelka.
Fans believe that Djokovic was waiting out the announcements due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recent guideline changes which gave unvaccinated citizens the same travel rights as vaccinated citizens. The organization recently said in its travel guidance section that it was “reviewing this page to align with updated guidance.”
Now we wait to see if Novak Djokovic will remain on the main draw entry list after the qualifying draw later today (Jack Sock on standby). The CDC is still reviewing the mandatory vaccination requirement to enter the US, 10 days after guidance for community settings was relaxed. https://t.co/WzO4oWxge3
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) August 22, 2022
Unfortunately for Djokovic, the page now says that overseas travelers must be fully vaccinated to enter the country. This update ruled out any chance of Djokovic being able to play at the US Open.
Opelka himself withdrew from the US Open for unstated reasons, but fans speculate it is due to his recent injuries and fatigue. Jack Sock will enter to replace Opelka’s spot.
Another notable player pulling out is Olympic champion Alexander Zverev who sustained a right ankle injury during the semifinals of the 2022 French Open. Zverev’s withdrawal from the US Open has allowed Stefan Kozlov to participate in his stead.