Tennis star Novak Djokovic is set to miss yet another tournament because he's still not vaccinated against COVID-19.
Djokovic said Thursday he's withdrawing from the U.S. Open because he "will not be able to travel" to the United States to play. He has not been vaccinated against COVID-19, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires non-U.S. citizens show proof of vaccination before entering the country.
"Good luck to my fellow players!" Djokovic tweeted. "I'll keep in good shape and positive spirit and wait for an opportunity to compete again."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In January, Djokovic was forced to miss the Australian Open because he isn't vaccinated against COVID-19. He arrived in the country to play but was deported after his visa was canceled. Since then, Djokovic has been permitted to play at some tournaments like Wimbledon, though he's had to miss others like the Miami Open and the National Bank Open.
Last month, Djokovic said on Instagram he was practicing "as if I will be allowed to compete" in the U.S. Open while "I await to hear if there is any room for me to travel to the US. Fingers crossed!" But U.S. travel policies have not changed in the time since. U.S. Open tournament director Stacey Allaster said it's "very unfortunate that he will be unable to compete" but that "we look forward to welcoming Novak back" in 2023.
Djokovic told BBC in February that if he has to miss competitions due to his refusal to get vaccinated, that's "the price that I'm willing to pay."
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster showSpeed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top GrammysSpeed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own roomSpeed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
