?Novak Djokovic asks to enter U.S. despite being unvaccinated.?

[Greenbacks]

BELGRADE, Serbia -- Novak Djokovic has asked American authorities for special permission to enter the United States to play tennis tournaments in California and Florida despite being unvaccinated against the coronavirus, the top-ranked Serb said Wednesday.
The Transportation Security Administration has said the requirement for foreign air travelers to be fully vaccinated against the disease would be in place at least until mid-April. The tournament in Indian Wells, California, will be played March 6-19 and the Miami Open is scheduled for March 20-April 2.
Everything is currently in the process," Djokovic said at his training ground in Belgrade. "I have a big desire to be there.
"I am really thankful to the Indian Wells and Miami tournament [officials] and community for their support publicly, and they would like me to be able to play in their tournaments."
Djokovic, 35, is one of the most high-profile athletes who is unvaccinated against COVID-19.
Last year, he was deported from Australia ahead of the 2022 Australian Open because of his vaccination status. Djokovic returned to the tournament this January after Australia lifted its strict vaccine mandate and won his 22nd Grand Slam title, tying Rafael Nadal for the record.
Djokovic said Wednesday that Nadal remains his biggest on-court rival despite the rise of 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, who had been at the top of the rankings before a leg injury prevented him from playing at the Australian Open.
"[Alcaraz] is arguably the next biggest thing in our sport, or he's already there." Djokovic said. "I just feel that the rivalry with Nadal is something that is difficult to eliminate.
"Nadal has been the biggest rival, and he probably will remain the biggest rival I ever had in my career."
Djokovic reached another milestone in his tennis career this week by tying German great Steffi Graf with 377 weeks at the top of the world rankings.
"Obviously, Steffi Graf is one of the biggest legends of our sport, both men and women tennis, and someone that I truly admire and respect," Djokovic said. "So, of course, it's very flattering that I am able to equal her record and obviously have a possibility to break it as well the next week."
Djokovic said his next tournament will be next week's Dubai Open.

 

[tallsports]

Florida won't have a problem with it.

Palm Springs probably will.

He just should say he is a refugee and walk across the border

Indian Wells and Monte Carlo look like the best spots as far as weather and scenery for tournaments. Monte Carlo is right on the Mediterranean Sea I think and Indian Wells is in a rich golf course community with non stop perfect weather

 

[peanuts]

I think it's not about the virus anymore, but it is about being compliant with the rules.

 

[Greenbacks]

Novak Djokovic to miss Miami Open over vaccine status.​

Novak Djokovic will miss next week's Miami Open after being denied an exemption that would have allowed him to enter the U.S. despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19, tournament director James Blake said Friday.
"We tried to get Novak Djokovic to be allowed to get an exemption, but that wasn't able to happen," Blake told Tennis Channel. "Obviously, we're one of the premier tournaments in the world. We'd like to have the best players that can play. We did all that we could. We tried to talk to the government, but that's out of our hands."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott were among those calling on the Biden administration to allow Djokovic to enter the U.S. and compete at the tournament he has won six times.
Djokovic, 35, is also missing the ongoing Masters tournament in Indian Wells, California, due to his inability to secure the exemption.
The U.S. currently bars unvaccinated foreigners from entry into the country, a policy that is expected to be lifted when the government ends its COVID-19 emergency declarations May 11.
Djokovic, who missed last year's Australian Open after being deported from that country because of his vaccination status, has said he would skip Grand Slams rather than receive a COVID-19 shot.
He won his record-tying 22nd Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January. He has not played at Indian Wells or the Miami Open since 2019.
A representative for Djokovic said the player would make no further comment regarding his absence from the Miami tournament and that he planned to return to the tour at the Monte Carlo Masters clay-court event that begins April 9.
Djokovic will then continue his preparations for the French Open in May by playing in the Srpska Open in Banja Luka, Bosnia.

 

[peanuts]

Now he has more time to prepare for the French Open.

 

[Michelangelo]

Why didn't he and his entourage just fly into Mexico and come across the southern border?

That would have been a special moment in the hypocrisy of this government.