With his fight to enter tournaments in the USA, world tennis ranking leader Novak Djoković has received support.

The Serb has not been vaccinated against Covid-19 and is therefore not allowed to enter the country. He has applied for an exemption. It is hoped that Djoković will be granted this, said a statement from the US Open tournament management and the US Tennis Association.

Djoković has won the US Open, held in New York in late August and early September, three times, most recently in 2018.

Djoković wants to play in Indian Wells, Miami and New York

Before the US Open, he wants to serve in Indian Wells (starting today, 6 March) and Miami (tournament starts 19 March) in March and April, but has so far failed to get an entry permit.

The 35-year-old recently broke a record previously held by Germany’s Steffi Graf: As of 27 February, he had been at the top of the world rankings for 378 weeks.

He last played in Dubai, where he was eliminated in the semi-finals (4:6 and 4:6) by the Russian Daniil Medvedev.