Florida. Whereupon Novak Djokovic withdrew from tournaments in Florida and California because he could not enter the United States as a foreign national who had not been vaccinated against COVID-19, A spokesman for the United States Tennis Association said Saturday they had “high hopes.” that the number one in the world ranking can play at the United States Open in August.

“Policy on entering the United States is determined by the White House. We hope that they will soon reverse this policy banning Novak Djokovic from entering the United States,” USTA’s Chris Widmaier wrote for the Associated Press. “There are no COVID-19 restrictions at the US Open for any player, fans or visitors. We would like to see Novak, one of our great champions, at the US Open 2023.”

The two-week tournament at Flushing Meadows starts on August 28.

Djokovic, 35, was unable to travel to New York for the final Grand Slam in 2022 and also missed the Miami Open and Indian Wells because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19.

Six-time Miami champion Djokovic has withdrawn from the tournament, which begins next week, a Miami Open official said Saturday.

The Serbian is ranked No. 1 in the ATP rankings and tied with Rafael Nadal, who will be absent from Miami due to injury, with a men’s record 22 Grand Slam titles. Djokovic is 15-1 in 2023 with two championships, including the Australian Open in January.

But he will have to lose the first two Masters of the campaign. He withdrew from Indian Wells in California, which ends this weekend, because he could not enter the United States without a COVID-19 vaccination.

In April 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Djokovic stated that he was against the need to be vaccinated for travel. He later assured that he would not be vaccinated, even if it meant that he would have to miss tournaments.

In January 2022, he tried to get an exemption to participate in the Australian Open and went to Melbourne. His case went to court, his visa was revoked, and he was deported.

Australia has since relaxed its restrictions and Djokovic has safely returned to win his first major of the year.

While Nadal was out after injuring his left hip flexor in the second round at Melbourne Park. He plans to return to the Monte Carlo Masters next month.