"Seeing the strongest player in history being out of the top 20 at the end of the year is not good for tennis" - Flavio Cobolli on Novak Djokovic potentially missing US Open 2022
Novak Djokovic defeated Australia's Nick Kyrgios in the 2022 Wimbledon final on Sunday to lift his 21st Grand Slam title. That put him one clear of Roger Federer's tally of 20 Majors, with only Rafael Nadal ahead of him with 22.
Besides his on-court exploits, the Serb has also been in the news for his refusal to take the coronavirus vaccine, which saw him get deported from Australia right before the Australian Open kicked off earlier this year.
He later made it clear that he was against getting vaccinated and was willing to forgo participation in tournaments, citing one's freedom to choose what to put in their bodies.
After participating in the French Open and Wimbledon this year, the 35-year-old is now likely to sit out of the US Open as America's latest rules call for foreign travelers to produce proof of vaccination against the coronavirus to enter the country.
Like a script taken out of a Hollywood movie: Novak Djokovic who was refused entry to Australia due to their medical fascism, crushes an Australian to win the most important grandslam of all 🏆 https://t.co/U2EBbKE1Km
During a recent interview with OA Sport, Italy's upcoming tennis star Flavio Cobolli weighed in on the topic, suggesting that his idol Djokovic should be allowed to play in the US as he makes the tournaments "more beautiful."
“I'm not sure, but I believe that seeing the strongest player in history being out of the top 20 at the end of the year is not good for tennis and will certainly weigh on us all. In my opinion, it is right to let him play in America because it is also thanks to him that the tournaments are even more beautiful," Cobolli said.
"I would never go to a country where I don't have permission to travel" - Novak Djokovic
Three days after lifting his seventh Wimbledon title, Novak Djokovic arrived in Visoko, a small town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The World No. 7 was awarded honorary citizenship of Visoko by Mayor Mirza Ganic, who thanked Djokovic for introducing Visoko to the world.
Novak Djokovic: “I’m always a proponent for freedom to choose what is best for you.” @DjokerNole 🎯👏 https://t.co/d7NrxLH1Sz
In his speech at the event, the tennis legend recalled what happened in Australia in January, and set the record straight that he was in possession of all the necessary permissions and exemptions.
"The Australian saga for me was of course not pleasant at all. But what most people probably still think that I forced my way to Australia and tried to come in with no papers, permissions or exemptions is not true. This was proven in the court case. I would never go to a country where I don't have permission to travel," Djokovic explained.