Novak Djokovic was champion and tried Wimbledon grass. He now wants to win his second Grand Slam of the year. Photo: Adrian DENNIS / AFP.
the days go by and Novak Djokovic he still does not find an answer that allows him to know whether or not he can be in the US Openthe last Grand Slam of the season, which begins in New York on Monday 29 August.
The passage of time is the factor that most worries the former number one in the world, now placed at the sixth step of the ATPwhich has already been lost Australian Open for the same reason: the decision not to get vaccinated coronavirus.
Cornered by his position, Djokovic experiences an atypical and shortened season. After the novel he starred in Australia, where he was even detained in a Melbourne hotel for failing to comply with health regulations upon entering the oceanic country, he was only able to participate in Roland Garros -where it fell with the Spaniards Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals- and Wimbledon -where he crowned himself champion, but was unable to defend the points due to the decision of the ATP not to award them after the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian tennis players by the organizers-.
All this has led to his fall in the rankings, but also to the inability to enter North America, the current leg of the tour that ends in Flushing Meadows.
He could not say present in Canada, where the Montreal Masters 1000 was held, nor in the United States, where the Cincinnati Masters 1000 is currently being played. All because of the health regulations that prevail in the two countries, which prevent foreign visitors without Covid vaccines from crossing the borders.
“I am preparing as if I should be able to compete, while I wait to find out if there is room to travel to the USA. Fingers crossed!”, Djokovic posted on his social media on July 30, accompanied by a video showing him training on a hard court.
His expression of viral desire took on more force a week ago when the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced new health measures that could open doors for him to enter the country and play the US Open.
What has changed? The CDC has warned that it will treat vaccinated people the same way as unvaccinated people. Furthermore, those who have no symptoms of Covid-19 should not be swabbed and close contacts with the virus will not be forced to isolate themselves. These changes have not yet been formalized. Furthermore, it remains to be seen whether immigration authorities will continue to require the vaccination card in order to enter the United States.
All that delay conspires against Djokovic’s desire to play the US Open.
Will you have news this week?
Source: Clarin
