Novak Djokovic won’t get Covid vaccine to enter US Open

06/27/2022

“Hopefully I can have a very good tournament, as I have done in the last three editions. Then I’ll just have to wait and see. I would love to go to States. But as of today, that’s not possible.”

Pressed on whether he had “completely closed your mind to that [getting vaccinated] as an option” Djokovic replied: “Yes.”

Should Djokovic retain the title he would be only the fourth man in the modern era to win four successive Wimbledon crowns.

It would also put him level with Pete Sampras on seven Wimbledon titles, one behind record holder Roger Federer.

“I would love to be in a position to fight for another trophy,” top seed Djokovic said. “Pete Sampras, winning his first Wimbledon, was the first tennis match I ever saw on the TV. So, of course, there’s a lot of connection to this tournament.

“Pete has won it seven times. Hopefully, yeah, I can do the same this year.”

Even if Djokovic wins he will lose the 2,000 ranking points he is defending from last year, following the ATP and WTA decision to strip the tournaments of points in the wake of the ban on players from Russia and Belarus.

Djokovic was also prevented from defending 2,000 points in Melbourne, but says he is not overly concerned.

“My priorities are different now,” he said.

While respecting Wimbledon’s stance, Djokovic said he feels it is unfair that Russian players, including world number one Daniil Medvedev, are not competing at the grasscourt major.

“I understand both sides. It’s really hard to say what is right, what is wrong. But in my heart as an athlete, putting myself in a position where someone would ban me from playing because of these circumstances, and I have not contributed to that, I wouldn’t think that’s fair,” he said.

Novak Djokovic won’t get Covid vaccine to enter US Open

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