COVID VS. TENNIS
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has called on US President Joe Biden to allow an unvaccinated Novak Djokovic to play in Florida’s Miami Open. The Serbian tennis player is barred from the United States due to a lack of vaccination against the coronavirus and on Sunday formally withdrew from the first of two back-to-back Masters tournaments, which begin in Indian Wells on Wednesday.
In the United States, foreigners are still prohibited from entering the country without a covid-19 vaccination. World number one Djokovic, who is an opponent of mandatory vaccination, asked the US government for an exemption in February, but the authorities did not grant him permission.
“This rejection is unfair, unscientific and unacceptable. I urge you to reconsider. It’s time to put the coronavirus policy on hold and give the American people what they want – let him play,” Governor DeSantis, who is being talked about as a possible Republican nominee for the US president, wrote to Biden on Tuesday.
The only thing keeping Novak Djokovic from participating in the Miami Open tennis tournament is President Biden’s misguided and unscientific COVID-19 vaccination requirement for foreigner travelers.
Mr. President – lift your restrictions and let him compete. pic.twitter.com/fFyhNoUV4S
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis)
March 7, 2023
Mandatory vaccination regulations for entering the US are expected to end on May 11, more than a month after the Miami tournament. Djokovic has not withdrawn from it yet, but according to the current rules he cannot start on it.
Djokovic last played in the prestigious tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami, which form the so-called “Sunshine Double”, in 2019. In the past, he triumphed in California five times, in Florida six times.
Due to the lack of vaccination, the thirty-five-year-old native of Belgrade was not allowed to start at the Australian Open and the US Open last year. After the relaxation of the rules, Djokovic returned to Australia this year and won his 22nd Grand Slam title, equaling Rafael Nadal’s record. Only last week in the semi-finals of the tournament in Dubai, he suffered his first defeat of the season from the Russian Daniil Medvedev.
