Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Latest News

Novak Djokovic ‘glad to be back’ on American soil after two-year absence

Novak Djokovic is preparing to play on American soil for the first time since 2021 after the Covid vaccine requirement for non-US travelers was lifted earlier this year.

Djokovic, who is unvaccinated against Covid-19, will play at the Western & Southern Open in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio, this week, before heading to the US Open, the final grand slam of the calendar year, in New York later this month.

His last match in the States was at the 2021 US Open when he lost to Daniil Medvedev in the final.

Asked about his absence from US tournaments since then, the Serbian star told reporters on Sunday: “The reason why I was not here for two years, I have zero regret on that. I’m just glad to be back.

“I’ve had plenty of success on American soil with Indian Wells, Miami, obviously Canada and here, [I’ve] won many times at these Masters 1,000 events, all of them. Of course, the US Open as well being the pinnacle of the hard-court season – I’m just excited.”

Djokovic had applied for a visa to compete at Indian Wells in California and at the Miami Open earlier this year but wasn’t granted special permission to enter the US.

Several weeks later, the Department of Homeland Security announced that, from May 12, non-US travelers entering the country would no longer have to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Having won a men’s record 23rd grand slam singles title at the French Open earlier this year, the 36-year-old Djokovic then reached the Wimbledon final but lost to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling five-set encounter.

Djokovic and Alcaraz, the top two players in the world rankings, are both scheduled to compete at the Western & Southern Open this week having received byes into the second round.

Djokovic, also due to play doubles on Tuesday alongside compatriot Nikola Ćaćić, will face either Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Argentina’s Tomás Martín Etcheverry, while Alcaraz plays Australian Jordan Thompson on Tuesday.

Regarding his defeat in the Wimbledon final, Djokovic said on Sunday that he was “over it in a day” and looking forward to the hard-court swing.

“After 20-plus years of professional tennis, there’s still fire going,” he said. “There’s still that drive and motivation to really come at the biggest tournament in sport and try to win titles and try to bring some good, I guess, sensations to the crowd.”

This year’s US Open, which Djokovic will attempt to win for a fourth time, begins on August 28 and concludes on September 10.

This post appeared first on cnn.com






    You May Also Like

    Latest News

    North Korea may be known as the hermit kingdom, but the isolated nation could be edging toward opening its borders to small numbers of...

    Editor's Pick

    One of the perks of being speaker of the House — or at least, one of the characteristics of it — is that you...

    Latest News

    Evacuations are underway across Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui as passing Hurricane Dora helps fuel wildfires that have damaged structures, prompted rescues and spurred...

    Latest News

    Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki won her first competitive tennis match in three-and-a-half years on Tuesday, defeating Australian Kimberly Birrell 6-2 6-2 at...

    Disclaimer: balanceandcharge.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.


    Copyright © 2024 balanceandcharge.com