What does Novak Djokovic's calendar look like for the rest of the 2022 season?
Novak Djokovic's participation in the 2022 US Open is in the balance, with the Seb expected to miss the year's final Grand Slam. With exactly a month to go for the August 29 start of the Major, neither an exemption for the Serb nor a change in the American vaccine regulations is on the horizon. If that holds, what will the rest of the 21-time Grand Slam champion's season look like?
As things stand, Djokovic will also not be able to participate at the National Bank Open in Toronto, as Canada also does not allow unvaccinated travelers to enter the country. That means the Serb will miss the entire US Open swing, which includes two Masters 1000 events - the National Bank Open and the Cincinnati Open.
Djokovic has also made it clear that he has no plans to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I'm not vaccinated and I'm not planning to get vaccinated so the only good news I can have is them removing the mandated green vaccine card or whatever you call it to enter United States or exemption," Djokovic said, speaking after his successful Wimbledon campaign.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic keeps practicing on a US Open-like court...
(📸 arsenijebogojevic Instagram) https://t.co/obRO3C9tJN
If the 35-year-old misses the US Open swing, he will not be seen on the professional circuit until Serbia's Davis Cup group stage tie on September 13 in Valencia, Spain.
After that, the Serb will take part in the highly-awaited Laver Cup, to be held in London from September 23-25. His entry confirms that he will team up with his great rivals Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray for the first time ever, making it the most anticipated event for the rest of the season.
The Big 4 are in for London. Djokovic will join Nadal, Murray and Federer as teammates to defend the Laver Cup on Team Europe at The O2. https://t.co/VoMFTBLsM3
Although the Laver Cup is an ATP certified event, it is, however, not a ranking event, just like the Davis Cup.
Djokovic could take part in one of the three ATP ranking events right after the Laver Cup - the Sofia Open in Bulgaria, the Korea Open in Seoul, and the Tel Aviv Watergen Open.
October kicks off with the Japan Open in Tokyo, an ATP 500 event where the former World No. 1 is expected to play. There are a few ATP 250 events in the weeks that follow, including those in Italy, Belgium, Sweden, and Austria.
Djokovic could then play the Swiss Indoors tournament in Basel, starting on October 24, where Federer is slated to make his comeback, creating the prospect of a match between the two greats.
Will Novak Djokovic play in the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals?
After missing the Masters 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati and with the Shanghai Masters cancelled, the World No. 7 should compete at the Paris Masters, where he is the defending champion. He has won the tournament six times, with this year's event scheduled for October 31 to November 6.
France does not have any entry restrictions in place, which helped the Serbian take part in the French Open this year.
#djokovic @novakfanclub Novak at practice this morning 😊😁🎾 #djokovic @novakfanclub
📸: instagram.com/djuricn__?igsh… https://t.co/3u650V1Sjg
The 35-year-old is currently 10th in the race to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, where the top eight players of the season compete. This means Djokovic, who won the Wimbledon title this year, can qualify as the 8th entrant even if he fails to finish in the top seven of the rankings.
Nadal, having won the first two Majors of the year, is expected to finish in the top seven. However, if any player outside the top eight (of the rankings before the ATP Finals) wins the US Open, the 21-time Major champion will need to be ranked higher than that player to qualify for Turin.
The ATP Finals will be held from November 13-20.