US President Joe Biden has been urged to overturn the ban on unvaccinated foreign nationals so that reigning Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic can compete in next month's US Open.
Days after American tennis legend John McEnroe called the ban "ridiculous," a Texas senator has now slammed President Biden for the policy.
"Biden is banning Novak Djokovic from coming to the U.S. to play in the US Open, but allowing millions of unvaccinated illegals to cross the border," Texas State Senator Drew Springer said on Twitter. "Hey Joe, what's one more person without vaccinations!!!?!! #LetNovakPlay #txlege #USOpen."
If the US administration doesn't make changes to the current measures in force in the country, Djokovic will not be able to take part in the final Grand Slam of the year.
Additionally, he is set to miss out on the ATP Masters events in Toronto and Cincinnati as, like America, Canada requires an overseas player to be immunized with mandatory twin doses in the past 12 months.
After his Wimbledon title victory over Nick Kyrgios on Sunday, the 35-year-old superstar confirmed that he wasn't vaccinated.
"I'm not vaccinated and I don't plan to get vaccinated," Djokovic said. "So, the only good news I can have is if they eliminate the mandatory vaccination green card or whatever it's called to enter the US or the exemption. I don't know. I don't think the exemption is really possible. If that's a possibility, I don't know what the exemption would be about. I don't know. I don't have a lot of answers there."
During an interview with the BBC in February, Djokovic stated that he hated being called an anti-vaxxer, but had the right to choose what goes inside his body.
"I was never against vaccination. But I've always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body," he mentioned at the time.
"The principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. I'm trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can," he added.
This was Djokovic's first interaction with the media after he was controversially deported from Australia over his stance not to get vaccinated.