Sports
NOVAK Djokovic’s 2022 season has been described as the “trainwreck of trainwrecks” by John McEnroe after he was unable to play at the U. S. Open due to being unvaccinated.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion missed the Australian Open due to his vaccine stance and has also been unable to play in the U.S. or Canada this summer.
He was given late hope that he might be able to enter the U. S. due to a relaxing of the rules.
But he withdrew before the draw last week as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed visitors to the U. S. still needed to be vaccinated if they are foreign nationals.
Djokovic has won just two tournaments this season – Wimbledon and the Italian Open – and lost in the quarter-finals of the French Open.
McEnroe has previously said its a “joke” that Djokovic was unable to travel to New York, and he has reiterated his stance on the first day of the tournament.
“Let’s not forget he was unvaccinated in 2021, so you’ve got to explain to me why he was unvaccinated and played in 2021 and now he’s unvaccinated and can’t play,” said McEnroe as part of Eurosport’s coverage of the first day at Flushing Meadows.
“Either way its a joke in my opinion. Its sad. That’s what it is. Me personally, I’ve been vaccinated, I got boosted.
“If I were him, but I’m not him, that’s probably why he’s won 21 [Grand Slams] and I won seven, because of his belief in himself and his willingness to just do what he believes is best for him.
“But he’s giving up a lot obviously by making this stand. I respect it, but its really unfortunate. His year has been the trainwreck of trainwrecks. Thank God he won Wimbledon.”
Djokovic looks likely to next compete for Serbia at the Davis Cup in September, two months after he won Wimbledon.
He will then play alongside Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray at the Laver Cup and could also compete in the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin.
“[This year] took him from Australia, where he was tossed out, to recovering to some extent at the French Open, and then winning Wimbledon, and you’re like ‘okay, come to the U.S. Open, maybe you can be number one in the world?’
“But they don’t even let him play. I can’t believe it.
“Couldn’t he have got an exemption? But then again he got that in Australia and they tossed him out. Can you imagine the debacle here!” (Reuters/NAN)
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Tags: Australian Open Flushing Meadows French Open McEnroe Novak Djokovic trainwreck of trainwrecks U. S. Open Wimbledon
