Djokovic out of Miami Open after Serb denied entry to US

Vaccination against COVID-19 remains a requirement for international travelers.

Novak Djokovic has been ruled out of next week’s Miami Open after the Serb was denied an exemption that would allow him to enter the United States despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19, tournament director James Blake said.

Not being vaccinated against COVID-19 remains a requirement for international travelers, but Djokovic had hoped to get special permission to enter the country.

The policy is expected to be lifted when the government ends its COVID-19 emergency declarations on May 11.

Tournament organizers said they had “exhausted all options” in an attempt to get him a travel waiver. The 22-time Grand Slam winner has also withdrawn from the Indian Wells Open.

“We tried to get Novak Djokovic to get a waiver, but we couldn’t,” Blake told the Tennis Channel on Friday.

“Obviously we are one of the most important tournaments in the world, we want to have the best players to play. We did everything we could. We have tried to talk to the government, but that is not in our hands.”

Djokovic, who missed last year’s Australian Open after being deported from that country due to his vaccination status, has said he would skip Grand Slams rather than get a COVID shot.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the state’s two U.S. senators were among those calling on the Biden administration to allow world number one Djokovic to enter the U.S. and compete in the tournament that he has won six times.