Novak Djokovic is set to return to this year US Open after the US senate voted to end Covid-19 restrictions. This is seen as a major boost for 22-time Grand Slam Champion who has been essentially exiled from States since mandatory vaccinations were introduced to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.
After maintaining his principled stance on the issue and expressing his resolute desire to remain unvaccinated, the bitter memories of the last year Australian Open saga may still haunt him but he was willing to take whatever implications come his way. As a consequence to his opposition to the jab, he was expected to miss a number of events and consequently a lot of points at US Open, the Sunshine Double, Canadian and Cincinnati Masters.
However, after the annulation of the older protocols put in place by Trump administration in March 2020, Djokovic should be eligible to enter the US Open without getting inoculated against Corona. The bill passed by US Senate to end the Covid-19 declarations will be sent to President Biden who will ratify it.
Novak Djokovic will be able to play at this year’s US Open after the United States announced it is lifting its vaccine mandate on international travellers. pic.twitter.com/K066oYBs2l
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 2, 2023
Although there is a draught since 2018, the Serb has won the US open three times in his career. Djokovic holds a storied recent past at the US open after being disqualified from the last slam of the calendar for casually hitting a line judge with a ball that was not in play. The incident drew much criticism and ire from the tennis fraternity as he suffered a sensational default. He would made a strong return a year later only to be handed a straight set defeat at the hands of Daniil Medvedev.
This was a heartbreak for a very emotional Novak who was just one game away from completing a calendar slam – a pursuit of one of tennis’s rarest achievements that were not recorded since the inception of open era.
Novak Djokovic now free to slide on the baselines of US Open hardcourts can add to his incredible tally of record-equaling 22 majors later this year and a few would dare to bet against him leaving New York with another silverware.