"I'd be vaccinated in his place, but you have to respect his way of thinking" - John McEnroe on Novak Djokovic's COVID-19 vaccine controversy ahead of 2022 US Open
While John McEnroe stated that he would have taken the coronavirus vaccinations had he been in Novak Djokovic's place, he also said that we have to respect the Serb's views on the subject and his choices.
The former World No. 1 also said that Djokovic missing the 2022 US Open is "the closest thing to a joke" as the world has been living with the pandemic for almost three years now.
The 35-year-old's participation in the New York Grand Slam remains in doubt. While the current rules in the United States of America require foreign travelers to be double vaccinated against COVID-19, the Serb continues to remain unvaccinated.
While the tournament does not require vaccination as a mandatory pre-requisite, the organizers have decided to toe with the government's rules on the subject, dealing a blow to Djokovic's chances of participation at the season-ending Major.
Speaking to Marca, McEnroe opined that it was "stupid" of the organizers to not let Djokovic play at the US Open.
"I think it's stupid that they don't let him play. It's the closest thing to a joke. I would have been vaccinated in his place, but you have to respect his way of thinking. We have been living with the pandemic for two and a half years and that they do not allow him to participate, I consider it a joke," he said.
McEnroe concurred with the popular belief that Rafael Nadal would be the biggest beneficiary in Djokovic's absence and cited the Spaniard's Australian Open win as an example.
"What is evident is that when Djokovic is not there, the great beneficiary is Nadal. He signed a miraculous victory at the Australian Open and the favorite there was the Serbian to have won there nine times," he added.
The Corona Paradox of #Djokovic and #USOpen twitter.com/ScottGWrites/s…
McEnroe, a seven-time Grand Slam winner, said it would take a lot of time for the 21-time Slam champion Djokovic to get back on track, especially with the mental demands of the sport. He said it wouldn't be easy for Djokovic to train without knowing whether he would be able to play on his planned schedule.
"It is true that Djokovic is younger and it seems that his body is responding to him and he has no injuries. He can reach to 25 Majors, but for the tennis part you have to add the mental aspect. It is not easy to train without knowing when or what you will be able to play on your planned schedule. It took him four months to get his head back after everything that happened to him in Australia in January," he explained.
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"It's not the end of the world" - Novak Djokovic on his potential absence at 2022 US Open
Novak Djokovic first spoke at length about his US Open participation after his Wimbledon victory. He maintained that he would remain unvaccinated and hoped that the American rules regarding the vaccine mandate would change before the season's final Grand Slam.
"The only good news I can have is that they eliminate that protocol that only people who are vaccinated or have some exemption can enter the country. I don't know if it will be possible," Djokovic said in a press conference at Wimbledon.
The 35-year-old spoke about his US Open plans in Serbia and said his non-particiaption in the New York Major will not be "the end of the world."
"I respect everything and everybody, and I expect at least people to respect my decision. If I have a permission, I'll be there. If I don't, I'll not be there. It's not the end of the world," he said at the unveiling of a tennis complex in Visoko.
A few weeks ago, he took to social media to let his fans know that his preparations were on track in the hope of being allowed to compete in New York.