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Unvaccinated Tennis Champ Novak Djokovic Won’t Play U.S. Open Due To Travel Restrictions

Tennis champ Novak Djokovic won’t play at the upcoming U.S. Open after refusing to comply with United States restrictions requiring Covid vaccinations for foreign travelers.

Djokovic, who has steadfastly refused to get vaccinated, announced the news on Twitter today. “Sadly, I will not be able to travel to NY this time for US Open,” he wrote. “Thank you #NoleFam for your messages of love and support. Good luck to my fellow players! I’ll keep in good shape and positive spirit and wait for an opportunity to compete again. See you soon tennis world!”

The Open begins on Monday at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, NY. and runs through Sept. 11. This year’s draw for the tournament is happening today.

According to reports, Djokovic has had Covid at least twice, but maintains that vaccination should not be mandated.

In a statement to press, U.S. Open tournament director Stacey Allaster said, “Novak is a great champion and it is very unfortunate that he will be unable to compete at the 2022 US Open, as he is unable to enter the country due to the federal government’s vaccination policy for non-U.S. citizens. We look forward to welcoming Novak back at the 2023 US Open.…

Sports / Tennis

Novak Djokovic fights back from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in Wimbledon quarter-final

Novak Djokovic is a man made for five-set tennis. Only once out of 11 five-setters at the All England Club has he been a loser and that was back in 2006 to Mario Ancic. This incredible win also meant Djokovic pulled back a two-set deficit for the seventh time in a grand-slam match.

It may have been five years since the Serb has been defeated at Wimbledon and he has stretched his winning streak to 26 with this quarter-final victory, but it was not made easy for the six-time champion as he lost the two opening sets to the 20-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner. Djokovic did not look himself as he missed multiple drop shots in those two sets, but he maintained his habit of being a master of the marathon as he set up a semi-final with Britain’s Cameron Norrie.

Some may argue that the status quo prevails in the men’s game but Djokovic did look fallible and given how young Sinner is and the fight he put up, this is surely a positive sign for a player in his first Wimbledon quarter-final and another name to add to the list of young male grand slam challengers of the future.

Djokovic was frank in his assessment of both how he will be received by a partisan crowd when he takes on Norrie and the gulf in experience that exists between the world No  3 and No  12.

“Playing here in Wimbledon on Centre Court semi-finals of a slam in his country, of course I know what to expect, you know, in terms of the crowd support,” Djokovic said. “For him, [he has] not much to lose. Every victory from now onwards is a big deal for him. I know that.”

Djokovic moved comfortably on the grass in the opening games of the match and the defending champion moved 4-1 up, but Sinner – buoyed by the cheers of “Andiamo” [here we go] and, of course, his own determination and talent – began to find his natural game and …

Sports / Tennis

Djokovic top men’s seed for Wimbledon in absence of Medvedev, Zverev

Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic will head into next week’s tournament as the men’s top seed with Russian world number one Daniil Medvedev banned from taking part while Germany’s second-ranked Alexander Zverev is out injured.

Organizers of the grass court Grand Slam have banned players from Russia and Belarus from playing at this year’s Wimbledon following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, which Russia calls a ‘special operation’.

Zverev had surgery on torn ligaments in his right ankle this month after he was forced to retire from his French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic, who was unable to defend his 2021 Australian Open title and the 2,000 ranking points he earned due to his non-vaccinated status against COVID-19, recently lost his world number one spot to Medvedev.

The Serbian, who has won the last three editions of the grasscourt major, will slip further down the rankings after Wimbledon as he will lose another 2,000 points with the ATP and WTA stripping the tournament of points.

The absence of Medvedev and Zverev means Nadal, who is halfway through a possible calendar year Slam after winning the Australian and French Open titles, to be seeded second.

It also results in Djokovic and Nadal finding themselves in different halves of the draw and they cannot face each other until the men’s final on July 10. The duo met in this year’s Roland Garros quarter-final where the Spaniard triumphed.

Britain has two players in the top 10 seeds at their home major with Cameron Norrie ninth while U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu is 10th in the absence of Belarussian Aryna Sabalenka.

Poland’s world number one Iga Swiatek will be the women’s top seed with Estonian Annett Kontaveit the number two.

Wimbledon organizers had previously used a computer-based system favoring results on grass courts in the previous two years to determine the seedings but from the 2021 edition seedings mirror the world rankings.…

Tennis

Nadal outlasts rival in thrilling 2022 French Open quarterfinal match

In the 10th meeting between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, the “King of Clay” emerged victorious.

Nadal outlasted world men’s No. 1 Djokovic in four sets, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4), in a quarterfinal match that lasted 4 hours and 12 minutes.

Nadal got out to a 5-1 lead in the tiebreaker, but Djokovic worked his way back to a 6-4 deficit. On the decisive point, Nadal worked Djokovic far to his right with a backhand to set up a backhand winner down the left side that sent Nadal to the semifinals. That fourth set originally seemed destined to go to Djokovic. The top seed got off to a 3-0 lead and then held a 5-2 advantage. But the world’s No. 5 player tied the set with three straight wins and forced the tiebreaker two games later

 

 

Djokovic claimed the French Open title in 2021, only his second win in the tournament. During that run, he defeated Nadal in the semifinals, ending the King of Clay’s streak of four straight French Open victories.

Nadal will face No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev in the French Open semifinals.

The Sporting News tracked live updates and highlights from the 59th meeting between two of the best players in the history of tennis. Follow along for results from the match.

Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal score

1 2 3 4
(1) Novak Djokovic 2 6 2 6 (4)
(5) Rafael Nadal 6 4 6 6 (7)

 …

Sports / Tennis

Stan Wawrinka relishes ‘special’ challenge against Djokovic in Rome

Three-times major champion Stan Wawrinka said that playing Novak Djokovic is always special but added that he may not quite be ready to face a player of the world number one’s quality following his return from long-term injury.

The 37-year-old, who did not play for an entire year after undergoing two surgeries for a foot injury, battled past Laslo Dere 7-6(8) 3-6 6-4 to set up a 26th career meeting with Djokovic in the last-16 of the Italian Open on Thursday.

“It’s not the best prize, but it’s always special to play against him,” said Wawrinka, who has won his last two matches against the Serbian.

“I’m not where I want to be yet with my game, with my fitness level, with my mental (game). I need those matches, so to have a chance to play against the best player, it’s going to be really difficult for me, that’s for sure.”

Wawrinka’s victory over 14th seed Reilly Opelka in Rome earlier this week was his first in 15 months and the Swiss said he had a long way to go before regaining full fitness.

“I’m not ready to compete I think at that level, but it’s what I need. I need those challenges. I need to push myself as much as I can to keep improving.”

Djokovic, who defeated Aslan Karatsev in his opening match, is looking for his sixth title on the clay in Rome and first this season.…

Olympics / Sports / Tennis

Another Semi-final for Djokovic

It has been a very busy day for Novak Djokovic. After winning his men’s singles semi-final earlier in the day, he has also reached the final four of the mixed doubles competition along with his partner Nina Stojanovic. You can reach more about the world number one’s busy day.

Novak Djokovic picked up a comfortable win over Kei Nishikori on Thursday to qualify for the men’s tennis semi-finals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

In the quarter-finals of the competition, the Serb beat his Japanese opponent 6-2, 6-0 in a match that lasted 70 minutes at the Ariake Tennis Park in Tokyo.…

Sports / Tennis

Novak Djokovic wins Wimbledon to join Federer & Nadal as 20-time Grand Slam champion

World No 1 Novak Djokovic wins sixth Wimbledon title to claim sole ownership of fourth place on the list for most men’s singles titles at the All England Club, ahead of Bjorn Borg and Laurie Doherty; the Serb also becomes the fifth man in history to win the first three Slams of the season

Djokovic eventually overawed his Italian opponent 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-4 6-3 on Centre Court to become the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the first three titles of the year, keeping him on track to emulate the Australian by claiming a calendar Grand Slam.

Throw in an Olympic singles gold medal in Tokyo, for which he will also be favorite, and Djokovic is on course to become the first man ever to win a Golden Slam. “That was more than a battle. Congratulations to Matteo for a fantastic tournament. It was a tough match today. He’s a true Italian hammer,” said Djokovic.

“Winning Wimbledon was always the biggest dream as a kid. I have to remember how special this is and not take it for granted and be aware this is a huge honor and privilege.

“From being a seven-year-old constructing a Wimbledon trophy out of raw materials to standing here with a sixth trophy. It’s incredible.”

On drawing level with Nadal and Federer, he added: “It means none of us three will stop!

“I have to pay a great tribute to Rafa and Roger. They are legends of our sport. The two most important players I ever faced.

“They are the reason I am where I am today. They made me realize what I had to do to improve. The last 10 years has been an incredible journey that is not stopping here.”

Djokovic has been a one-man brick wall in keeping the younger generation’s hands off the biggest titles, defeating Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and now Berrettini in Slam finals this year.

Big-serving Berrettini came into Wimbledon as one of the favorites having won his first grass-court title at Queen’s Club, …

Sports / Tennis

‘Novak Djokovic has a mentality rarely seen in tennis history,’

Rafael Nadal’s coach Carlos Moya says Novak Djokovic has ‘a mental determination rarely seen in tennis history.’

Djokovic won the French Open earlier this month, beating Nadal in the semi-finals before coming back from two sets down in the final against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

It was only the third time Nadal had ever lost at Roland Garros, and Moya did not deny the better player won on the day.

He, though, also warned the Serbian that they will learn a lot from the defeat.

“He has an impressive mentality, a determination rarely seen in the history of the sport,” Moya said.

“Rafa made too many unforced errors and was not at his level with the serve or with the backhand.

“Novak did better, he cornered him very well on his backhand side and Rafa could not easily escape from there.

“We are going to learn a lot from this match.”

Novak Djokovic will also be a strong favorite for Wimbledon, where he can equal the Grand Slam haul of both Nadal and Federer should he win it.…