This isn’t any kind of surprise, but it has been a conversation all year. Novak Djokovic, the former world #1 and the reigning Wimbledon champion, is out of the US Open. Novak is perfectly healthy and he’s reportedly been training in Serbia. So why is out of the USO? It’s because of America’s travel restrictions on unvaccinated people. Novak is an anti-vaxxer. He refuses to get the Covid vaccine. He was deported from Australia in January after he falsified his “medical exemption” to enter Australia as an unvaccinated person. He was allowed to play in the Middle East and Europe earlier this year because they had eased their foreign visitor/vaccine regulations in time for various tournaments. Novak and his “croc fam” were counting on President Biden to loosen the rules for Novak to enter the US. It didn’t happen. So Novak finally withdrew from the tournament just hours before the draw:
Sadly, I will not be able to travel to NY this time for US Open. Thank you #NoleFam for your messages of love and support. ❤️ Good luck to my fellow players! I’ll keep in good shape and positive spirit and wait for an opportunity to compete again. 💪🏼 See you soon tennis world! 👋🏼
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) August 25, 2022
As someone who follows tennis, I hate almost every storyline this year involving men’s tennis. There are multiple men facing credible accusations of domestic violence. There are dudes getting injured right and left. The Russians being banned from Wimbledon, and on and on. And then there’s Novak and his entirely self-made dumbf–kery. Instead of actually making the “stand” he wants us to believe he’s making, he decided to draw this out, stoking panic and hysteria in his fans. He wants to take this big “stand” against science, against vaccines, against public health. Well, here are the consequences, dumbass. You don’t get to turn the USO into a super-spreader event or an anti-vaxx advertisement.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Instagram.
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- (200202) — MELBOURNE, Feb. 2, 2020 () — Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts during the men’s singles final against Dominic Thiem of Austria at 2020 Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia on Feb. 2, 2020. (/Zhu Wei),Image: 563238629, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS excluding China – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Zhu Wei / Avalon
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- BELGRADE, SERBIA – MAY 27: ATP Belgrade Open men’s tennis singles 1/4 final Novak Djokovic. Pictured on May 27, 2021 in Belgrade, Serbia – 27/05/2021.,Image: 613091810, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Aleksandar Djorovic / Panoramic / Avalon
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- Novak Djokovic (Srb),Image: 622745502, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: JB Autissier / Panoramic / Avalon
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- Novak Djokovic (Ser),Image: 644027134, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic / Panoramic / Avalon
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- Novak Djokovic (Ser) defeated Nick Kyrgios (Aus) in the men’s single final of Wimbledon 2022,Image: 706410079, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic / Panoramic / Avalon
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- Novak Djokovic (Ser) defeated Nick Kyrgios (Aus) in the men’s single final of Wimbledon 2022,Image: 706410512, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic / Panoramic / Avalon
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- Sydney, AUSTRALIA – The news that Novak Djokovic had received a medical exemption to play in the Australian Open tournament this month in Melbourne spurred a range of reactions in Australia, where some politicians and tennis officials called on him to explain himself. Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 male tennis player and a prominent vaccination skeptic, announced on social media on Tuesday that he was “heading Down Under with an exemption permission.” The tournament’s organizers confirmed that he had been granted a medical exemption after a review process by two independent panels, a procedure that suggested he remained unvaccinated. Reaction among the pro tennis elite was somewhat measured. After Alex de Minaur and James Duckworth, who are both from Australia, absorbed the news, Duckworth said at a news briefing at the ATP Cup in Sydney, “If he’s fit the criteria, then, yeah, he should be able to come.” “That’s very politically correct of you,” de Minaur replied with a laugh. He added, “I just think it’s just very interesting; that’s all I’m going to say.” Other Australians used social media to express their anger at the decision. The hashtag #DjokovicOut trended on Twitter on Wednesday. Commentators pointed out that spectators at the Australian Open must be vaccinated. Stephen Parnis, a former vice president of the Australian Medical Association, tweeted: “I don’t care how good a tennis player he is. If he’s refusing to get vaccinated, he shouldn’t be allowed in. If this exemption is true, it sends an appalling message to millions seeking to reduce #COVID19Aus risk to themselves & others. #Vaccination shows respect, Novak.” Pictured: Novak Djokovic BACKGRID USA 5 JANUARY 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Sydney, AUSTRALIA – The news that Novak Djokovic had received a medical exemption to play in the Australian Open tournament this month in Melbourne spurred a range of reactions in Australia, where some politicians and tennis officials called on him to explain himself. Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 male tennis player and a prominent vaccination skeptic, announced on social media on Tuesday that he was “heading Down Under with an exemption permission.” The tournament’s organizers confirmed that he had been granted a medical exemption after a review process by two independent panels, a procedure that suggested he remained unvaccinated. Reaction among the pro tennis elite was somewhat measured. After Alex de Minaur and James Duckworth, who are both from Australia, absorbed the news, Duckworth said at a news briefing at the ATP Cup in Sydney, “If he’s fit the criteria, then, yeah, he should be able to come.” “That’s very politically correct of you,” de Minaur replied with a laugh. He added, “I just think it’s just very interesting; that’s all I’m going to say.” Other Australians used social media to express their anger at the decision. The hashtag #DjokovicOut trended on Twitter on Wednesday. Commentators pointed out that spectators at the Australian Open must be vaccinated. Stephen Parnis, a former vice president of the Australian Medical Association, tweeted: “I don’t care how good a tennis player he is. If he’s refusing to get vaccinated, he shouldn’t be allowed in. If this exemption is true, it sends an appalling message to millions seeking to reduce #COVID19Aus risk to themselves & others. #Vaccination shows respect, Novak.” Pictured: Novak Djokovic BACKGRID USA 5 JANUARY 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
He’s such an asshat. Not a fan of his wife, either.
GOOD. Let’s focus on what really matters with the US Open: Serena.
I second this comment. He’s a POS and Serena needs all the love.
I have my first and hopefully only Covid infection right now (tested positive last week); I can barely taste anything, and can’t smell squat. I’m tired and my sinuses are swollen…and I can only imagine how much worse this might have been if I hadn’t been vaxxed.
Seriously, can this doof just shut up and go away? Good on everyone for not caving and their changing policies to appease him.
+1
Feel better soon @LadyMTL.
I hope your smell and taste comes back full force. 💕
Good riddance. He’s a coward for dragging this out.
Can’t stand him. Glad he won’t be there. Such a loser.
He really does at as though he’s some kind of martyr like Martin Luther King. He’s such an entitled selfish person.
Dr King is not a martyr. The man was murdered.
It’s so infuriating that so many people have lost (and continue to lose) their lives because of dickheads like this. He shouldn’t be allowed out of his home.
IMO he is stoking an anti vax message or he wouldn’t tweet or comment or anything on this. He knows the travel restrictions and it’s his choice to play or play it out.
Can’t stand the guy
There is no travel restriction to US anymore – you don’t have to be vaccinated or show a proof of a negative Covid test.
He doesn’t say he can’t visit because of his vaccination status either – I think it’s important to not just blindly assume before posting.
So why isn’t he coming to play? He was waiting to come to the US open so if all restrictions are gone as you say then surely he will participate?
@Shay, Foreigners still do.
No? While travelers no longer need to show proof of a negative COVID test, most non-US citizens apparently still need to show proof of vaccination.
The State Department website has the following:
“Of note, CDC’s Order requiring proof of vaccination for non-citizen nonimmigrants to travel to the United States is still in effect.”
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/covid-19-travel-information.html#:~:text=This%20means%20that%20starting%20at,vaccination%20status%20or%20citizenship.
Novax DjoCovid is the hill he wants to die on. He’s given up his ranking and possible grand slams for this. What an idiot.
Meanwhile, Rafa Nadal has won two more grand slams with a wonky foot and Carlos Alcarez has emerged as the newest superstar. It’s been a great year for me!