"It just seems wrong not having the best player in the world missing two Slams this year" - Greg Rusedski on Novak Djokovic missing Australian Open and US Open
Former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski finds it perplexing that Novak Djokovic - one of the best players to have graced the sport - has missed two Majors this year.
Djokovic, 35, won his 21st Major title at Wimbledon this year - his seventh triumph at the Championships. That moved him to within one title of men's all-time leader Rafael Nadal.
However, the Serb will not have the opportunity to move level with Nadal at the US Open due to his COVID-19 vaccination status. Under the current rules of entering the country, all incoming foreign arrivals to the US must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination - which Djokovic doesn't have or intends to have.
Shortly after Djokovic announced his withdrawal from Flushing Meadows, the US revealed that it could not have applied for an exemption. Earlier this year, the Serb was unable to defend his title at the Australian Open because of a visa row over his medical exemption against taking a COVID-19 vaccine. Djokovic was subsequently sent back from the country days before the tournament started.
Lamenting at the sequence of events for the Serb, Rusedski said that it's a pity that the former World No. 1 has had to miss two Slams this year.
"It just seems wrong not having the best player in the world missing two Slams this year," Rusedski wrote.
It just seems wrong not having the best player in the world missing two slams this year.
Djokovic reached the quarterfinals of Roland Garros this year, where he lost to eventual winner Rafael Nadal in four sets.
How has Novak Djokovic fared at US Open?
Novak Djokovic has an impressive record at the last Grand Slam of the year, winning 81 of his 94 matches, lifting the title thrice. He has made at least the last four in 12 of his 16 visits to the US Open, reaching the final a record nine times.
Last year, the Serb reached his ninth title match at Flushing Meadows. However, his bid for an elusive calendar year Grand Slam ended limply as he was beaten by Daniil Medvedev in straight sets.
Daniil Medvedev stuns Novak Djokovic in straight sets to win the #USOpen https://t.co/Ksup0ClAEI
Novak Djokovic's three titles at the US Open have come in 2011, 2015 and 2018. Two of his six Flushing Meadows final defeats have come against Nadal twice (2010, 2013) and once against Roger Federer (2007), Andy Murray (2012), Stan Wawrinka (2016) and Daniil Medvedev (2021).
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