More good news for Djokovic as U.S. announces end of COVID-19 emergency declarations in May

The Serb was forced to skip the US Open last year due to his decision to remain unvaccinated

Novak Djokovic (Ser) after beating Juan Martin Del Potro (Arg) in US Open final in 2018 Image Credit: Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

January 31, 2023

Two days after winning his 10th Australian Open and 22nd Grand Slam singles title, there was more good news for Novak Djokovic and all of Nolefam as the United States government announced that they would end COVID-19 emergency declarations on May 11.

While this still means that Djokovic, who has not vaccinated himself against the virus, will not be able to play in Indian Wells or Miami in March, he will however be able to enter the United States later this year for the summer American hardcourt stretch, including the US Open, which he was forced to miss in 2022. The Serb is a three-time US Open champion, with the last of those three triumphs coming in 2018.

According to Reuters, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said in a statement the declarations, which were set to expire in the coming months, would be extended again until May 11 and then terminated.

If there are no further changes to the policies around COVID-19, it means that Djokovic will be able to play all the other three Grand Slams in 2023, setting up a nail-biting race with Rafael Nadal for the most Grand Slams in men’s tennis history.

Both players are currently tied at 22 Slams. Only three players, all women, have won 22 or more Grand Slams in tennis history – Steffi Graf with 22, Serena Williams with 23(Open Era record), and Margaret Court (24 – spanning the Pre-Open Era and Open Era).

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