Finishing with the most men’s Grand Slam singles titles is Novak Djokovic’s ultimate career goal.
The Serb won his 21st major title with victory at Wimbledon in July, leaving him one behind Rafael Nadal’s all-time men’s record.
But Djokovic’s decision not to be vaccinated against Covid-19 has meant he has missed opportunities this year to add to his haul.
The nine-time Australian Open champion was unable to play in Melbourne and could also be missing at the US Open, although the 35-year-old recently said he had his “fingers crossed” he will be in the draw when the Grand Slam starts on 29 August.
Can Djokovic play in the US Open?
As it stands, no.
Djokovic, who was still on the US Open entry list on Monday, has not been vaccinated against Covid-19 and since October 2021 the United States has not allowed non-vaccinated visitors to enter the country.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is the nation’s health protection agency, demands a non-US citizen must “show proof of being fully vaccinated against Covid-19” before travelling by air from a foreign country.
The ruling stopped Djokovic from playing ATP Masters 1000 events at Indian Wells and Miami in March and April, along with last week’s Cincinnati Open.
He was also not allowed to play at the Rogers Cup in Montreal – another Masters event that took place this month – because of Canada’s ban on unvaccinated visitors.
In February, Djokovic told the BBC “the principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else”, but added he was keeping an open mind about being vaccinated in the future.
When asked by a reporter at Wimbledon in June whether he had dismissed the option of getting a jab in order to compete in the United States, he replied: “Yes.”
Are the rules likely to change so he can play?
The CDC relaxed some of its Covid-19 restrictions on 11 August, including bringing some rules for unvaccinated US citizens into line with those who are vaccinated.
When announcing the changes, the CDC said it would also “work to align stand-alone guidance documents” in a number of areas – including travel – in the coming weeks.
The CDC’s website – on the page where the details of vaccination proof for visitors are outlined – says it is “reviewing this page to align with…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at BBC Sport – Tennis…