Novak Djokovic poised to miss Miami Open after being denied vaccine exemption

Serbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic may miss the Miami Open due to being denied a COVID-19 vaccine exemption, tournament director James Blake confirmed. Djokovic has won the title six times, but even with the organizers’ help, he was unable to obtain the exemption.

“Obviously, we’re one of the premier tournaments in the world,” Blake expressed his disappointment with the decision, stating that they did all they could to help Djokovic get the exemption. The men’s singles for the Miami Open is set to begin on March 22.

The US currently has a policy limiting unvaccinated individuals from entering the country, which has put Djokovic in the global spotlight for his refusal to get vaccinated. This resulted in him being unable to play at the Australian Open last year and withdrawing from several other events since then.

Several Republicans, including Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, have appealed to the Biden administration to either grant an exemption or change the mandate, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis even proposed the idea of transporting Djokovic to Florida via boat.

However, policies regarding entry into the US are determined by the White House. Djokovic has 22 Grand Slam titles, and the US Tennis Association is optimistic that he will participate in the US Open scheduled for August 28.