Novak Djokovic should be good to go for the 2022 U.S. Open.
The United States government announced on Tuesday that it will end its emergency Covid-19 measures on May 11. On that date unvaccinated foreigners will be able to travel to the USA. That means Djokovic can freely enter the country later this year and participate in the season’s fourth and final Grand Slam, which begins in late August.
The 35-year-old’s recent relationship with the U.S. Open has been tumultuous. He was infamously defaulted out of the 2020 event during a fourth-round match against Pablo Carreno Busta after blasting a ball in frustration that hit a lineswoman in the throat. In 2021 he lost the final to Daniil Medvedev in straight sets with the calendar-year Grand Slam on the line. Djokovic could not play last summer due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Assuming the Serb can play in 2023, he can only hope his return goes as well as it did in Melbourne. Djokovic was deported out of Australia prior to the 2022 Australian Open but won the tournament for a 10th time this year after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) in Sunday’s championship match. That leaves Djokovic and Rafael Nadal tied at the top of the all-time men’s singles Grand Slam titles list with 22, and there is a decent chance they could be tied at 23 heading into the U.S. Open with the French Open and Wimbledon up next on the schedule.
Djokovic won’t, however, be able to extend his lead over Nadal in the Masters 1000 title count (currently 38 to 36) in the immediate future. Since the United States is not changing its policy until May, the world No. 1 will once again be unable to participate at the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami–which are taking place in March.
“You know my position, so it is what it is,” Djokovic said earlier this year. “I’m hoping (to play Indian Wells and Miami), but if I can’t go, I can’t go.”
“It would be nice to see if we could maybe lift those a little earlier and have him come to play Indian Wells and Miami,” IW tournament director Tommy Haas said in a recent interview. “I think he wants to play, so we should give him the chance. Hopefully we can have him there.”
That won’t be the case, but the U.S. Open is a much more important destination for Djokovic and–at least for now–he has the green light for New York.
CYGS watch is on
Will miss Joker at IW….but look forward to seeing the young guns
Yeah, and IW is such a unique tournament thats its nice to see ‘lesser’ players win it who can play well in the conditions. Such as Fritz,Isner etc.
Only for Rafa fans:
https://youtu.be/sbY55k2YgsY
Ok rabid Rafa fans, read this and feel ashamed about what you were writing here:
https://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/had-a-3cm-tear-djokovics-remarkable-injury-toll-revealed-in-record-grand-slam-win/news-story/ee085c8c3dc11944af509f7f484e4570
Thanks for posting that link about his hamstring, Wog Boy.
Who is Ms Parks? Never heard of her, and suddenly there she is!
My pleasure
Ms. Alycia Parks, age 22, is from Atlanta, GA, and she is new to me, Margot.
I watched a WTA Lyon match early, and she caught my attention. I know nothing about her other than the basics, but she looks like a possible rising star, and it seems Americans are virtually coming out of the woodwork.
Lesia Tsurenko smacked the dickens out of Bianca Andresscu in the Thailand tournament to get in the final. Nice to see Marta Kostyuk get to a quarterfinal too.
I have not looked at brackets this week.
Thanks. She is now on my radar! Just did Marseille ATP.
Ive done the French one and Cordoba. South American clay swing is hard to pick with so many similar players…
I would’ve thought Ben Shelton would be playing one of the US tournaments, but can’t see his name anywhere.
He is playing Dallas qualifying, Margot. I woke up in the middle of the night to check where he was. But going back to sleep because I have no idea where they will place him, and the same goes for the other tournaments that don’t have the qualifiers in yet – the Abu Dabi bracket closes in minutes, and there is nothing I can do : I try but…
Oh, sorry, M. You are looking for Shelton. I don’t see him. But Ben Holt is in qualifying. Isn’t Holt Tracy Austin’s son?
Shelton will be playing in Del Ray next.
https://live-tennis.eu/en/atp-schedule
😀
Thanks for all the info. I shall pick Sheldon to go quite far at Delray.
Yes, Ben Holt is Tracy’s son.Never seen him play.
Rybarakina, me and BA I think, but most chooosing Bencic for WTA
Not sure what time I woke up, but now it seems I can’t go back to sleep because I am watching Abu Dhabi. Marta Kostyuk is playing well at least in the first set, and I picked her to win, but beating veteran Sorana Cristea is a tough ask.
Come on, Marta!
Rybakina is the best pick, but I keep picking Bencic because she is a favorite of mine; I don’t often choose the most intelligent choice.
The WTA website used to be helpful, but it is unfriendly for this user! I can’t find anything on it, let alone see the draws.
Kpuppy picked Kostyuk over Cristea too.
Marta’s level has dropped, or Cristea is doing what she does, win matches, as a rule, I usually pick Cristea.
Marta’s dress seems to slip down, and she has to keep pulling it up. That would drive me crazy.
Wow, the second set tie-break was close, but Parks took it from Zanevska. Good tennis! Congrats to Alycia Parks 😀
The next match is Caroline Garcia v Camila Osario from Bogota, Columbia. Everyone in the WTA bracket picked Caroline to win the tournament. Allez, Caro!
Goodness me, Caroline towers over Camila. It’s a rare moment to catch such good WTA matches today.
Who would have thought that this 4 years old boy would become the GOAT one day:
https://youtu.be/PqmmHEk6B3A