Tennis star Djokovic to miss Miami Open over Covid vaccine status

Novak Djokovic will miss next week's Miami Open after the Serbian was denied an exemption that would have allowed him to enter the United States despite not being vaccinated against Covid-19.

"We tried to get Novak Djokovic to be allowed to get an exemption, but that wasn't able to happen," tournament director James Blake told Tennis Channel on Friday.

"Obviously, we're one of the premier tournaments in the world, we'd like to have the best players that can play. We did all that we could. We tried to talk to the government, but that's out of our hands."

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the state's two US senators were among those calling on the Biden administration to allow world number one Djokovic to enter the US and compete at the tournament.

Djokovic, 35, is also missing the ongoing Masters event in Indian Wells, California due to his inability to secure the exemption.

READ MORE: Nadal looks to extend record as unvaccinated Djokovic misses out on US Open

22nd Grand Slam

The US currently bars unvaccinated foreigners from entry into the country, a policy that is expected to be lifted when the government ends its Covid-19 emergency declarations on May 11.

Djokovic, who missed last year's Australian Open after being deported from that country due to his vaccination status, has said he would skip Grand Slams rather than have a Covid shot.

He won his record-tying 22nd Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January.

He has not played at Indian Wells or the Miami Open - which together comprise the "Sunshine Double" - since 2019. 

He has won the Miami Open six times.

READ MORE: Djokovic wins 10th Australian Open title