ATP Masters Miami: Is there Novak Djokovic's last major absence in Florida?
Despite all efforts, Novak Djokovic was not able to start at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Miami. It remains questionable whether the current entry requirements for the United States will remain in place until the summer.
by Stefan Bergmann
last edit: Mar 18, 2023, 08:44 pm
Florida's populist governor Ron DeSantis asserted that he really tried everything possible to get an exemption for the world number one to participate in the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Miami. In the end, however, everything remains the same: Since Novak Djokovic cannot show proof of vaccination against the corona virus, entry into the United States of America is not possible.
Of course, that shouldn't really surprise anyone, since a similar request for the current Combined event in Indian Wells (California) was also rejected two weeks ago. Even the good persuasion of the tournament officials Tommy Haas (Indian Wells) and James Blake (Miami) could not convince the responsible authorities of the opposite.
How and when does Homeland Security decide?
"We did what we could, just like tournament director Tommy Haas pulled out all the stops in Indian Wells. Unfortunately, we didn't succeed," Blake told the Tennis Channel. The Homeland Security, which is responsible for these agendas in the USA, is also historically considered a very strict and conservative ministry.
The big question that now arises: will the regulation expire in mid-April or will it be extended further. In principle, the said regulation is still valid for a good month and then has to be reassessed by Homeland Security based on the current situation. If the USA were to follow the example of the European countries, the matter would probably be over by May at the latest - however, nothing is fixed on the subject of Corona.
Sure, the European clay court spring and the still very short grass season around the Grand Slam tournament in Wimbledon are already firmly planned for "Nole". It remains to be seen whether the 22-time major winner will finally be allowed to fly across the pond again in the summer. In any case, it would be good for tennis if all athletically qualified players were allowed to take part in all tournaments.