Serbian Tennis Star Djokovic Will Miss Miami Open After Being Denied Entry to US
© AP Photo / Manu Fernandez
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Earlier this month, Djokovic was denied entry to the United States to take part in two tournaments because he has not been vaccinated against COVID-19.
On Friday, the world's number one tennis player, Novak Djokovic, officially withdrew from the 2023 Miami Open. He had not been allowed to enter the US because he was not vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The Serb applied for special permission to enter the US, but did not succeed.
"Obviously, we're one of the premier tournaments in the world, we'd like to have the best players that can play. We did all that we could. We tried to talk to the government, but that's out of our hands. We tried, and he wasn't able to play," Miami Open tournament director James Blake said, according to the media.
His place in the main draw will be taken by Colombian player Daniel Elahi Galan. Sebastian Korda will also miss the competition in Florida and will be replaced by Denis Kudla.
Djokovic missed the US Open - and several other tournaments in the US - in 2022 because he refused to be vaccinated against coronavirus.
Djokovic is scheduled to play on the clay of the Monte Carlo Masters from 9 April.
Last year, Djokovic arrived in Australia on 5 January to take part in the Australia Open tennis tournament but the next day he was detained and put into a migration isolation ward after the Australian authorities canceled his visa. Djokovic was accused of skirting COVID-19 rules that require all tennis players to present proof of vaccination or a medical exemption, whereas his lawyers argued that he had been granted an exemption after recovering from the disease in December.
Four days later, the tennis player was released by a court order from the isolation ward. On 10 January, Djokovic's visa was reinstated by the federal district court in Melbourne, but on 11 January Australia's Immigration Minister Alex Hawke revoked the player's visa for the second time, after which the tennis star withdrew from the tournament and quit the country.
Four days later, the tennis player was released by a court order from the isolation ward. On 10 January, Djokovic's visa was reinstated by the federal district court in Melbourne, but on 11 January Australia's Immigration Minister Alex Hawke revoked the player's visa for the second time, after which the tennis star withdrew from the tournament and quit the country.
