“Nothing stands in the way of Djokovic taking part”: Serb can focus on defence of Roland-Garros title

Novak Djokovic will be free to defend his Roland-Garros title in Paris this spring even though he remains unvaccinated against Covid-19, French Open tournament officials said.

The 20-times Grand Slam champion was sent home from Australia in January, meaning he missed the Australian Open and dropped one behind Rafael Nadal, whose title victory in Melbourne gave him a record 21st Grand Slam title.

But Djokovic, who is due to return to action in the Monte Carlo Masters next month, is set to be free to play in Paris as France continues to ease Covid-19 regulations.

“As things stand, nothing stands in the way of Djokovic taking part in the French Open,” Roland-Garros tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said on Wednesday.

However, Djokovic will be keeping a close eye on Covid-19 numbers in France, not least because French Tennis Federation president Gilles Moretton said they would continue to be guided by public health advice.

“There’s still a virus circulating and we have to be cautious,” he said. “If things were to happen again and the government would take new measures we would not be excluded from these measures.”

Djokovic, who beat Nadal in the semi-finals last year en route to his second Roland-Garros title, is unable to play in the Indian Wells Masters 1000 event, currently underway, and in this month’s Miami Masters, because unvaccinated people are not granted entry to the United States.

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