US Open 2022: Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams in official entry list despite participation uncertainty

Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are in the official entry list for the 2022 US Open. However, their participation remains doubtful due to non-vaccination.

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The US Open 2022 Grand Slam is just over a month away. Ahead of the same, the organisers released the official entry list for the event, which includes 21-time Slam winner Novak Djokovic of Serbia and 23-time Slam winner Serena Williams of the United States of America (USA). It comes as a surprise despite their uncertainty regarding their participation in the tournament. The two have a non-vaccinated status against COVID, while per US Government laws, a non-American citizen must be vaccinated to enter the country. Djokovic faced a similar dilemma during the Australian Open earlier this year, where after a 10-day drama, he was deported from the nation, thus barring his participation in the competition.

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Issuing clarity regarding the status of unvaccinated players playing the US Open, the organisers said in a release, "Per the ITF Grand Slam rulebook, all eligible players are automatically entered into the men's and women's singles main-draw fields based on ranking 42 days before the first Monday of the event. The US Open does not have a vaccination mandate for players, but it will respect the US government's position regarding travel into the country for unvaccinated non-US citizens."

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As for the entry list, Djokovic is currently ranked seventh and features in the list. However, it is evident that unless there is a change in law or a special exemption for unvaccinated players, the Serbian is sure of not being able to compete at the year's final Slam. As for Williams, she is ranked 16th as per special ranking but faces a similar situation to that of Djokovic.

Djokovic is coming off a winning performance in the Wimbledon 2022 Slam, which he won for the seventh time, resulting in his 21st Slam title, as he remains one Slam behind current record holder Rafael Nadal of Spain. At the same time, Williams returned to competitive tennis after a year's absence during Wimbledon, where she was beaten in the opening round.