Djokovic says “no” to the anticovid vaccine again and gets into serious trouble for the US Open

Novak Djokovic was again adamant about his refusal to get vaccinated against covid-19, something that could cost him dearly, as he would be out of the US Open, fourth and The last Grand Slam of the season to be played at the end of August, just as it happened at the beginning of the year at the Australian Open.

It should be remembered that the US authorities maintain the obligation of vaccination to enter the country.

Asked at the pre-Wimbledon press conference if he sticks to his stance on not getting vaccinated, Djokovic responded with a terse “Yes.” Do you insist on that idea? Said a journalist. “Yes”, answered again the Serbian, for whom Wimbledon could be the last Grand Slam of the season.

“As of today, considering the situation, I am not authorized to enter the United States. It’s additional motivation to play well here (at Wimbledon)”, added the Serbian, who is looking for a seventh title on the London grass.

“I would like to go to the United States, but at the moment it is not possible. I can’t do much. It is really up to the US government whether or not to accept an unvaccinated person into their territory,” he insisted.

For not being vaccinated, he was deported from Australia in January just before the start of the first ‘big’ of the year, where he aspired to a 10th title and then lost to Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros, where he sought to revalidate his title of the year previous.

In Wimbledon, in addition, he will not add points, since the ATP will not distribute points for the world ranking as a protest against the decision of the London tournament to exclude Russian and Belarusian tennis players due to the war in Ukraine.

All this means that Djokovic, who last year lost in the final in New York After winning Australia, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, the 2022 season is going to cost him dearly in terms of ATP points and, obviously, many places in the ranking.

Currently number 3 in the world, Djokovic has won the US Open three times (2011, 2015 and 2018) and has 20 Grand Slam titles, the same as Roger Federer, but two more than Rafael Nadal, who has already won the Open this season. Australia and Roland Garros.

All set for Wimbledon

Djokovic, 35, the third-ranked player in the world and defending the men’s title, will make his debut in the English tournament that begins on Monday against South Korean Kwon Soon-woo, number 75.

To move everything smoothly, the Serbian would face rising Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals and number two seed Rafael Nadal in the finalwho hasn’t lifted the Wimbledon cup since 2010 and is carrying a very painful foot injury.

The draw held on Friday put Nadal and Italian Matteo Berrettini, seeded 8th in the tournament and last year’s finalist against Djokovic, in the same box, who will debut in this edition against Chilean Cristian Garín, eliminated this week in the first round of Eastbourne.

In his first Wimbledon since 2019, the 36-year-old Nadal, recently crowned a 14th Roland Garros title despite his foot injury, will take on Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo. The Spaniard, champion of 22 Grand Slams, who has won the English tournament twice (2008 and 2010), He could also face the dangerous Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in the round of 16, against whom he won a long and complicated match in five sets on the clay of Paris.

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