"Novak Djokovic has earned right to compete" - Florida US Senators Rick Scott & Marco Rubio file formal request for Serb's Miami Open participation
With Novak Djokovic's participation in the Indian Wells Masters and Miami Open being more unlikely with each passing day, he recently received a big show of support. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, who are both US Senators for the state of Florida, have filed a formal request to the US President to grant the Serbian tennis great an exemption from the vaccination rule so he can enter the country to play in the Miami Masters event.
Djokovic is still waiting for an update on his application for an exemption from the compulsory vaccine mandate, which is still in place for foreign nationals to enter the United States. The US government has already announced that the vaccine mandate will be lifted in May.
In light of the same and the current situation regarding the coronavirus pandemic, Senators Scott and Rubio have appealed to President Joe Biden to grant Djokovic the said exemption, so that he can at least participate in the Miami Open in Florida that begins on March 19.
"@DJokerNole has earned the right to compete in the Miami Open. @SenMarcoRubio and I just have one question: will @JoeBiden let him?" Rick Scott wrote in a tweet with a copy of the formal appeal.
.@DJokerNole has earned the right to compete in the Miami Open.
@SenMarcoRubio and I just have one question: will @JoeBiden let him? https://t.co/D2koXmFUSo
In the letter, Scott and Rubio highlighted that the Serbian tennis legend is a "world-class athlete in peak physical condition," who is not at risk of being severely affected by COVID-19, and not a risk to public health himself as an unvaccinated person. They also said that not allowing Djokovic a waiver against the vaccine mandate will also go against the views of the US government itself with regards to the pandemic.
Additionally, they stressed that the 22-time Grand Slam champion's participation will be highly beneficial for the Miami Open, an event that is a "major driver for our local economies."
"Mr. Djokovic is a world-class athlete in peak physical condition who is not at high risk of severe complications from COVID-19," the letter reads. "It seems both illogical and misaligned with the opinions of your own administration to not grant him the waiver he requests so that he may travel to the U.S. to compete in a professional event."
"The lack of public health risk, along with the clear benefit of his participation in an event that will be a major driver for our local economies should make the decision before you simple and serve as a precedent for others in his position," it adds.
While the aforementioned request is specifically for the Miami Open, given it is on behalf of the state of Florida, if the 35-year-old Serbian player is in fact granted an exemption, it is expected to arrive ahead of the March 6 start of the Indian Wells Masters in California.
"If I'm not allowed, I'm going to pull out before the draw" - Novak Djokovic on Indian Wells participation
Novak Djokovic has declared that he will officially pull out of the Indian Wells Masters before the draw is made if he is not granted permission to enter the US for the Sunshine Double in Indian Wells and Miami.
"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 in a press conference at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The three-time US Open champion also received backing from the US Open and Miami Open tournament organizers, as they took to social media to officially request that he be granted an exemption from the vaccine mandate. He has won a combined 11 titles in Indian Wells and Miami.
Meanwhile, Djokovic lost to Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Friday.