The world number one tried by all means to be able to compete in the second Masters 1000 of the year. He also had the support of the Governor of Florida and tournament directors.
March 2023 and the coronavirus is still a problem in Novak Djokovic’s life. The Serb has remained firm in his decision not to get the Covid-19 vaccine, which is why some countries keep closing their doors to him. This means, for example, that he was only able to play one game in the United States in the last 18 months.
This is what he experienced again last week. “Djoko” requested a special exemption to be able to arrive in North America and play the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells and Miami , but this was denied by US authorities. Situation that led the number one to look for ways to reverse the refusal.
that last sentence was approached by The New York Times newspaper Wednesday day. The newspaper launched a report in which it reports that the circle closest to the Serb tried in two ways to attract the attention of the President of the United States and to ensure that the European could finally arrive in the country without being vaccinated. As journalist Matthew Futterman put it, “Nole’s team reached out to people who may have a direct relationship with United States President Joe Biden. Among them, Billie Jean King.
The report also mentions another person. It is Ken Solomon, CEO of Tennis Channel and regular partner of Biden and Barack Obama on economic issues. According to the letter, this figure not only publicly supported Djokovic’s participation, but also privately through calls with senior government officials.
Finally, the New York Times mentions two other alliances that the winner of 22 Grand Slam tournaments has found in his fight to be part of the tournament which takes place at Hard Rock Stadium. The first is IMG, Djokovic’s representative agency and at the same time the company that owns the Miami Open , who according to Futterman, contacted Republican senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, before they wrote a letter to the president to facilitate the entry of the tennis player. In the petition, posted by politicians on social media, it read verbatim that Biden should settle the situation, grant the bye and let him compete in Miami in order to secure benefits for local economies.
The other source mentioned by the media is the same ATP, who also publicly lobbied for the six-time champion of the tournament in question. “Novak Djokovic is one of the greatest champions our sport has ever seen. The USTA and the US Open hope that Novak will be successful in his application to enter the country. The decision is unfortunate not only for him, but also for our tournaments and our fans. Especially given the easing of restrictions around the world and in the United States itself,” association president Andrea Gaudenzi said.
Another who also brought up the issue was Miami Open manager James Blake. “We pointed out that it would be good for the economy and good for the Miami community. said the former American tennis player.
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Source: Latercera
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
