DJOKOVIC. Winner of his seventh Wimbledon this Sunday July 10, Novak Djokovic cannot compete in the US Open for the moment. Not vaccinated against Covid-19, the Serb cannot go to the United States.
What program for Novak Djokovic in the weeks to come? Just titled at Wimbledon this Sunday, July 10, the Serb won his 21st Grand Slam and the 7th on the London lawn. But after missing theAustralian Open at the start of the season due to non-vaccination against Covid-19, history will repeat itself for the 7th in the world. Indeed, government rules in the United States prevent him from entering the country and therefore from competing in the US Open (August 29 – September 11).
Some tennis personalities have already pleaded the cause of “Djoko” like John McEnroe on ESPN: “Politicians are interfering too much! It was already happening in Australia; Let this guy come to the United States and play the US Open. Come on! This is all ridiculous.” American player and not vaccinated, Tennys Sandgren also supported Novak Djokovic: “It’s shameful that the American Federation is not fighting for an exemption for Novak. I can play and he can’t? Ridiculous.”
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Biography Novak Djokovic. Novak Djokovic was born on May 22, 1987 in Belgrade, the Serbian capital. He started tennis very early at the age of four, a sport where his idol was the American Pete Sampras. Son of Srdjan and Dijana, “Nole” has two brothers who also play tennis: Marko and Djordje. Considered one of the best players in the history of the yellow ball along with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic has won 21 Grand Slam titles, one less than the Spaniard. Since the start of his professional career in 2003, he has won 88 tournaments and amassed over $158 million in earnings.
Novak Djokovic is considered one of the most complete players on the circuit. On a court, the Serb can both defend and attack and his ability to return opposing serves allows him to often take the upper hand in exchanges. He is also one of the most technical players where his anticipation, his reflexes, his cushioning and his wide range of tennis are formidable. His ability to adapt to all playing surfaces is one of “Djoko’s” strengths.
It all started on January 5 when the Serb arrived on Australian soil following a medical exemption which allowed him not to be vaccinated. But at the airport, the world number 1 is arrested by the border police who refuse him entry into the territory, believing that he does not sufficiently justify his medical exemption. His visa is then canceled. The next day, the Serb was placed in detention and it was finally on January 10 that Judge Kelly lifts Serbian’s visa cancellation, considering that he was unable to provide more information to the border police. He also orders his immediate release. Except that the Australian government, via the Minister of Immigration Alex Hawke, let it be known that it will evaluate the possibility of using its “personal power of cancellation”. This decision is finally made on Friday 14 January.
The Serb had already created controversy in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, by organizing the Adria Tour, a tennis and charity event, during which many participants (Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric, Viktor Troicki) as well as Djokovic himself and his wife Jelena had tested positive for Covid-19. Contaminations which had quickly triggered a flood of criticism from actors in the world of tennis. Lack of physical distance, hugs, farandoles with children, wild dances in a Belgrade nightclub… The images of the first stages of this Adria Tour, in Belgrade and Zadar, in the midst of a global pandemic, had indeed shocked, in particular this video captured in a nightclub in Belgrade:
Novak Djokovic met Jelena Ristic during her school career in Belgrade in the early 2000s. Not everything was easy for the young lovers, since Novak played his tournaments all over the world while Jelena completed her studies in Italy. The couple finally took up residence in Monaco and decided to get married in 2014. Jelena gave birth to their son Stefan in 2014, then to a little girl named Tara, in 2016. At the same time, Jelena Djokovic is director of the Novak Djokovic foundation, which the promotion of education in their native country.