Novak Djokovic Eligible To Play At Wimbledon, No Vaccination Required
The field for the 2022 Wimbledon Championships could include the world's No. 1 men's singles player, Novak Djokovic, All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton said Tuesday.
Djokovic, 34, did not play in the Australian Open back in January because he remains unvaccinated. Djokovic showed up to Australia to play, but was deported for not being vaccinated against COVID-19.
The same rules do not apply in the United Kingdom, the host of Wimbledon, as vaccines are not required to enter. That means that the 20-time Grand Slam winner and six-time Wimbledon champion is eligible to defend his 2021 title in London.
Djokovic and Roger Federer are tied for second-most Grand Slam titles of all time with 20. Rafael Nadal broke the three-way tie after winning his 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.
Djokovic's status for the US Open in August and September is still up in the air, as the U.S. Tennis Association has said that they will follow whatever governmental rules regarding COVID-19 still remain. He, however, should be able to compete at the French Open in May and June, as tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said last month that there was nothing prohibiting Djokovic from defending his 2021 title in Paris.
In addition to not being able to defend his title at Melbourne Park, Djokovic also missed out on tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami, due to his unvaccinated status.
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