Novak Djokovik Will miss next week’s Miami Open after being denied the exemption that would have allowed him to enter the US despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19, tournament director James Blake said on Friday.
“We tried to get Novak Djokovic an exemption, but it didn’t happen,” Blake told Tennis Channel. “Obviously, we are one of the major tournaments in the world. We want the best players who can play. We did everything we could. We tried to talk to the government, but it is out of our hands. ” ,
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott were among those urging the Biden administration to allow Djokovic to enter the US and compete in the tournament, which he has won six times, recently. Only in 2016.
Djokovic, 35, is also missing out on the ongoing Masters tournament in Indian Wells, California, due to his inability to earn an exemption.
The US currently bars unvaccinated foreigners from entering the country, a policy that is expected to be lifted when the government expires its COVID-19 emergency declarations on May 11.
Djokovic, who missed the Australian Open last year after being deported from that country because of his vaccination status, has said he would rather skip the Grand Slam than get the COVID-19 shot.
He won a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January. He hasn’t played at Indian Wells or the Miami Open since 2019.
A representative for Djokovic said the player would make no further comment about his absence from the Miami tournament and that he planned to return to the tour at the Monte Carlo Masters clay-court event starting April 9.
Djokovic will then continue his preparation for the French Open in May by playing at the Srpska Open in Banja Luka, Bosnia.