"Insanity really"- Ellen Perez calls for allowing Novak Djokovic to play in Indian Wells and Miami following denial of Serb's vaccine waiver request
Australian tennis player Ellen Perez came out in Novak Djokovic's defense after the Serb's vaccine waiver request was denied by the United States' Department of Homeland Security.
Djokovic is yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and has made it clear that he has no intentions of doing so. As a result, he was unable to travel to the United States for several big tournaments last season.
The country has decided to relax the travel rules for unvaccinated foreigners, but the new rules come into force on April 10, with the Indian Wells and Miami Masters scheduled to be held earlier.
Florida Senator Rick Scott took to Twitter to announce that Homeland Security has denied Djokovic's vaccine waiver request, thus making him ineligible to compete in both Masters 1000 tournaments.
BREAKING: We have been told that @DHSgov just denied @DjokerNole's vaccine waiver request, making him ineligible to compete in the US next week in CA & in the @MiamiOpen. 
🚨 BREAKING: We have been told that @DHSgov just denied @DjokerNole's vaccine waiver request, making him ineligible to compete in the US next week in CA & in the @MiamiOpen.
@JoeBiden must fix this NOW, grant the waiver & allow him to compete here in the states. twitter.com/SenRickScott/s…
Ellen Perez, who is ranked 18th in the WTA doubles rankings, opposed the decision and called for Djokovic to be allowed to play.
"Insanity really. My last booster shot was November 2021 which qualifies me as vaccinated to enter the US. My vaccine is long gone. All I have is a status/title “vaccinated” which should mean nothing. Let him play," Perez tweeted.
Insanity really. My last booster shot was November 2021 which qualifies me as vaccinated to enter the US. My vaccine is long gone. All I have is a status/title “vaccinated” which should mean nothing. Let him play! twitter.com/senrickscott/s…
One Twitter user asked Perez:
"I'm not sure your logic here. You are/were vaccinated, while Djokovic is not. It's public health policy while you are arguing based on a comparison?"
The Aussie replied by saying that Novak Djokovic should be allowed to enter the United States as people who were vaccinated two years ago were allowed to enter the country.
"I’m saying my vaccination status may as well be unvaccinated because it was so long ago. If they’re accepting people as “vaccinated” who had it like 2 years ago then you may as well accept Novak into the country because it’s the same thing. Maybe not literally but figuratively," Perez stated.
@gutstringtheory I’m saying my vaccination status may as well be unvaccinated because it was so long ago. If they’re accepting people as “vaccinated” who had it like 2 years ago then you may as well accept Novak into the country because it’s the same thing. Maybe not literally but figuratively
Novak Djokovic to pull out before the Indian Wells draw if not allowed to participate
Novak Djokovic recently said that he will withdraw from the Indian Wells Masters before the draw is made if not allowed to compete in the tournament.
"Before the draw. Yeah, yeah, whatever the decision is before the draw, if I'm not allowed, I'm going to pull out, of course, before the draw," he said during a press conference at the Dubai Tennis Championships
The Serb tasted defeat for the first time this season after losing 6-4, 6-4 to Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships. This brought an end to a 20-match winning streak that started in last season's ATP Finals.