Will Djokovic play at the US Open
Novak Djokovic’s coach, also former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, recently commented that the Serb is ready to play at the highest level for at least another five years. During that period, his ultimate goal is to win 30 Grand Slam titles. However, so far, there are problems even with winning the 22nd, and not for sporting reasons.
The fact is that Novak Djokovic is still adamant about his refusal to be vaccinated. Well, the US medical rules for non-residents remain strict – every foreigner entering the states must have a vaccination against coronavirus. And preferably not a stitched one. Djokovic, on the other hand, has not had a vaccination, and so he has already missed the 2022 Australian Open. It would be logical that Novak’s participation in the forthcoming US Open could be just a serious bonus. But here are the current UK bookmaker bonuses you can always find at https://officialbookmakers.com/betting-offers/price-boosts, where you can find a detailed description of how they work.
Nadal’s problems
Rafael Nadal was unable to complete the last Wimbledon due to yet another injury, or rather a recurrence of his abs muscle damage. But the Spaniard won his first two Grand Slams in 2022. He is the overall leader, with 22 career Grand Slams under his belt. Djokovic has one less, and Roger Federer, who is about to finish his career in Basel in autumn, has exactly 20.
Despite chronic injuries, Nadal is ready not just to play in the US Open 2022, but to fight for victory there. Especially if Djokovic is not allowed to take part in the tournament, which is the case. In such circumstances, Rafa’s main rival is his rival for the Melbourne final, Daniil Medvedev.
How Nadal has performed at the US Open before
Incidentally, Rafael’s last appearance in a US Open final dates back to 2019 and it was Medvedev who he beat in the final then (7-5; 6-3; 5-7; 4-6; 6-4). Since then, the Spaniard has been seriously hampered at the New York tournament by both younger opponents and the banal cause of injury.
What Djokovic might lose
As you know, ATP rankings are based on the points a tennis player defends in an identical week to last season. In this context, Djokovic will lose quite a lot, since he lost his decisive match to Daniil Medvedev in 2021, earning points for the final, which he will now simply not be able to defend. So if the Serb is not allowed into the tournament, he will fall even lower than the current sixth place…
Coronavirus rules at US Open 2022
The last of the Grand Slam tournaments of the current tennis season will be held from August 29 to September 11, 2022 on the courts in New York. Novak Djokovic is tentatively on the list, but the procedure is formal. The Serb can just as easily be removed from the list, and before the draw of the main tournament grid it will be done.
That’s why it’s already clear now, in mid-July, that Djokovic will not play in the US Open. This means his gap to Rafael Nadal in the title race will not be reduced. Yet the global result holds little for the Serb, who still has at least 10 more Grand Slams to his name, according to Ivanisevic. In addition, Australia’s new Prime Minister has already indicated that the coronavirus rules for the Australian Open 2023 may be revised. This means that Novak will have another window of opportunity, at his favourite tournament, which he has won seven times before!
