Novak Djokovic’s denied entry finally gets White House’s attention as official statement released
In response to Florida's Governor, Ron DeSantis' request to permit Novak Djokovic, Karine Jean-Pierre has issued a statement.
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Novak Djokovic
In response to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ request to permit Novak Djokovic to participate in the Miami Masters following the Serbian tennis player’s withdrawal from Indian Wells, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has issued a statement. It is worth noting that Djokovic has not competed in either Indian Wells or the Miami Masters, also known as the ‘Sunshine Double’, since 2019.
In addition, Djokovic was unable to participate in last year’s US Open due to Covid-19 restrictions imposed on foreign visitors. These restrictions remain in place, and despite his request for special permission to play at Indian Wells this week, he was denied entry.
The US CDC has stated that the travel restrictions are not expected to be lifted before April, which puts Djokovic’s participation in the Miami Masters later this month in jeopardy. Despite this, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been advocating for Djokovic’s participation in the Masters 1000 tournament. He even made a lighthearted comment about providing the Serbian player “a boat from the Bahamas” to enable his participation.
Speaking in the press conference, DeSantis said, “I would run a boat from the Bahamas here for him. I would do that a hundred percent. I think his people are looking at it, and I’m not sure that’s the way they want to come into the country, which I understand.”
The White House responds to the Novak Djokovic issue
Replying to the Governor, Jean-Pierre said, “On a question of regarding the vaccination requirement, I’d refer you to the CDC. They’re the ones who deal with that. It’s still in place and we expect everyone to abide by our country’s rule, whether as a participant or as a spectator. As for what goes on for specifically with the BNP [Indian Wells], those are questions for them. They are a private entity so we will let them speak to that.”
Although the absence of Novak Djokovic may not heavily affect other players on the circuit, Tommy Haas, the director of the Indian Wells Masters 1000, appears to be personally affected. Despite his attempts to persuade the world number one to participate in the tournament in California, the German expressed great disappointment as the event commenced on Wednesday.
Novak Djokovic has shifted his attention towards preparing for the upcoming Roland Garros tournament. Although he is unconcerned about skipping the Indian Wells, his team is currently attempting to secure permission for his participation in the Miami Open before it commences.
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Santhosh Tenneti
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