Djokovic misses the Miami Championship due to the Corona vaccine | Gulf newspaper

Miami Open tennis director James Blake said on Saturday that Novak Djokovic will miss the tournament next week after he was denied an exemption that would have allowed him to enter the United States despite not having a COVID-19 vaccination.

Blake said in televised statements: We tried to allow Novak Djokovic to obtain an exemption, but this was not possible. We are one of the most prominent tournaments in the world, and we would like to have the best players. We’ve done everything we can. We tried to talk to the government, but it’s beyond our control.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and two US senators from the state were among those who called on President Joe Biden’s administration to allow the world number one Serbian player to enter the United States and compete in the tournament he won six times.

Djokovic (35 years old) missed the Indian Wells Championship currently underway in California due to his inability to obtain an exemption from vaccination.

America prohibits entry of non-corona-vaccinated foreigners into the country, which is expected to stop when the government ends the Covid-19 emergency on May 11.

Djokovic, who missed the Australian Open last year after being deported from the country for not getting a coronavirus vaccination, said he would rather miss major tournaments than not get vaccinated.

Djokovic won his 22nd Grand Slam title in Australia earlier this year, equaling Rafael Nadal’s record.

The Serbian player has not participated in the Indian Wells and Miami Open tournaments since 2019.

A representative for Djokovic said the player would not comment further on his absence from the Miami Open and that he plans to return to action at the Monte Carlo Clay Championships on April 9.

Djokovic will then continue his preparation for the French Open in May by playing in Banja Luka, Bosnia.