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Novak Djokovic will miss next week’s Miami Open after the Serbian was denied an exemption that would have allowed him to enter the United States despite not having been vaccinated against Covid-19, tournament director James Blake said on Friday.
“We tried to let Novak Djokovic get a release, but it just couldn’t happen,” Blake told Tennis Channel.
“Obviously, we are one of the top tournaments in the world, we would like to have the best players who can play. We did everything we could. We have tried to talk to the government, but it is out of our hands.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state’s two U.S. senators were among those urging the Biden administration to allow world number one Djokovic to enter the United States and compete in the tournament he has won six times.
The 35-year-old Djokovic is also missing the current Masters event in Indian Wells, California due to his inability to secure an exemption.
The United States currently bans unvaccinated foreigners from entering the country, a policy expected to be lifted when the government ends its COVID-19 emergency declarations on May 11.
Djokovic, who missed last year’s Australian Open after being deported from the country because of his vaccination status, said he would skip Grand Slam tournaments rather than get the COVID vaccine.
He won his record 22nd Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January. He has not played at Indian Wells or the Miami Open – which together make up the Sunshine Double – since 2019.
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