US Open decides to not have ‘mandatory vaccination’ for players

The US Open has decided to rule against mandatory vaccination for its players, the organising body confirmed on its website.

Novak Djokovic, who remains unvaccinated, however, will still not be eligible for the tournament under the vaccination rules of the United States. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

The US Open has decided to rule against mandatory vaccination for its players, the organising body confirmed on its website.

“The US open will not have a vaccination mandate in place for players, but it will respect the U.S. government’s position regarding travel into the country for unvaccinated non-U.S. citizens,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The rule comes as a relief for Novak Djokovic, who remains stubborn on his decision to not vaccinate for the coronavirus. However, the stumbling block for the Serb will be the country’s rules for non-US citizens, wherein it is compulsory to provide proof of vaccination before entry.

Djokovic, who won the Wimbledon after defeating Nick Kyrgios in a high-voltage is just one short of Rafael Nadal’s 22 grand slams. Though he is drawn in the main entry list, he may still not be able to enter the final Grand Slam of the year if he remains resolute on his decision.

In the women’s singles, Serena Williams was included on the entry list for the U.S. Open.

Williams, who returned to competition last month after a year-long absence, was added to the entry list for the August 29-September 11 Grand Slam in New York having been named in the draw for tune-up events in Toronto and Cincinnati.

The 23-times Grand Slam champion fell in the first round at Wimbledon and last appeared in the U.S. Open in 2020 when the six-time winner reached the semi-finals.