“The rules apply to everyone.”

Novak Djokovic blocks his way to the last Grand Slam match of the season.

41 days before the start of the US Open, Novak Djokovic gets a little comforting news. Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has actually reiterated that the rules for entering the North American country, mandatory vaccination against the coronavirus, cannot allow exceptions. The Montreal Masters 1000 tournament, scheduled for August 7-14, is the first appointment on the North American “mini-tour” that kicks off last season’s Grand Slam tournament.

The new Wimbledon winner is one of the few unvaccinated tennis players. In January, he was kicked out of Australia for not being vaccinated, citing a lack of vaccinations, which resulted in him being unable to defend the title he had won in the Land of the Kangaroos the previous year.

Currently, Djokovic will not be allowed to enter the United States or Canada, as both countries deny entry to unvaccinated foreigners. As a result, if the terms don’t change, the 35-year-old will be forced to miss important next-season events.

“The rules apply to all”

“First, I must reiterate that the rules apply to everyone. There are some exceptions, but they are limited exceptions. Also, let’s not forget that COVID-19 is not going away. Even if we succeed with two doses, we need to raise the bar and get more Canadians informed about their vaccination status. “We have to be aware that we have to make sure we stay up to date,” the Canadian health minister said at a press conference last weekend. .

That means Djokovic is highly unlikely to participate in the Montreal Masters 1000 under the current rules. This situation will leave Rafael Nadal widening the gap between the two in the ATP rankings.

As far as participation in the Canadian Masters is concerned, it now appears that the US Open Djokovic still has hope.

“I’m not going to vaccinate”

“I have not been vaccinated, I have no intention of getting vaccinated, so the only good news I can get is that the United States removes the vaccination requirement for foreigners,” the same tennis player commented in various Serbian media.

“I don’t think I’ll get an exemption, so I’m hoping the regulations change. I’m hoping for good news because I want to go back to the States,” Djokovic concluded.

The 21-time Grand Slam champion’s participation in the North American’s next tournament is still in doubt … even if the balance seems to be leaning more towards yes for now.