Tennis icon John McEnroe has slammed the US Covid vaccine rules which currently prevent Novak Djokovic from entering the country and playing the US Open. The Serbian was ultimately denied the opportunity to compete at the Australian Open in January due to his decision to remain unvaccinated.
US immigration recently dropped the requirement for all incoming passengers to return a negative Covid test before boarding an aeroplane, but maintained the need for proof of full vaccination to be presented on arrival. “There are no plans to relax American immigration rules that require incoming travellers to have undergone vaccination for Covid," the Telegraph reported. This prompted McEnroe, a four-time winner of the American grand slam, to plead with those in power to reverse the decision.
"These politicians are getting in the way too much" McEnroe said following the Wimbledon final, which Djokovic won against Nick Kyrgios. "They did it in Australia. Let’s let the guy come in and play in the U.S. I mean come on. This is ridiculous. But I don’t make those decisions. I hope someone makes the right one and allows him to play. That’s my personal opinion.
"You can agree to be tested. I don’t know. There’s gotta be a way around this, but we’ll wait and see. That’s not what it’s about right now," he said. Ahead of Wimbledon, the new 21-time grand slam champion reaffirmed his stance against talking the coronavirus jab. "As of today, I am not allowed to enter the states under these circumstances," the Serbian tennis star said, via Eurosport. "I am aware of that and that is an extra motivation to do well here, and hopefully I can have a very good tournament as I have done in the last three editions.
"Then I will just have to wait and see. I would love to go to the states. But, as of today, that is not possible. There is not much I can do anymore. It is up to the US government to make a decision whether or not they allow the unvaccinated people to go into the country." Earlier today Djokovic’s wife Jelena launched a staunch defence of her husband amid "anti-vax posterboy" claims from tennis journalist Ben Rothenburg.
Jelena, Djokovic's wife of eight years, feeling aggrieved by the remarks, tweeted: "Just making sure that it is noted that YOU tagged him as an antivax poster boy for whatever reason you have. He simply responded what HIS body choice is," she wrote. This prompted Rothenburg to respond: “I understand that it's his choice, but I also am saying that his decision to be so firmly against the vaccines that it limits his ability to play tournaments has made him, unwittingly or not, into a huge icon of the anti-vax movement. I saw this very clearly during Australia.” Jelena continued to stand by her husband and accused the reporter of being ‘judgmental’.
“You are creating a very judgmental narrative that fits your agenda,” she wrote. “He is simply choosing what’s best for his body. If he is not playing because of making that choice, he is fine with it.” The American replied that he had been let down by the 35-year-old for his stance against the covid vaccine. "I can accept judgmental," he added. "I believe every citizen, especially public figures, had a duty to act responsibly with public health actions and messaging during the pandemic, and as someone who has covered Novak as the influential champion he is, he repeatedly disappointed me deeply. Is that judgmental? Perhaps. But this stuff is important."
To which Jelena fired back: “Thank you for sharing your beliefs. I hope you don’t get judged for them. Or become a poster boy for hatred and bullying. You never know. You are also an influential figure, please don’t continuously disappoint. Unless that’s your role.”
Djokovic closed the gap to rival Rafael Nadal in the grand slam race to just one after winning Wimbledon for the seventh time yesterday. 7.5 million UK viewers tuned in to watch the Serbian defeat first-time major finalist Nick Kyrgios 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-3) to notch his fourth consecutive win at the All-England Club.
