It’s been revealed Russians and Belarusians will be granted entry into this year’s US Open, but the country’s hardline stance on those not vaccinated looks set to see Novak Djokovic barred from another grand slam.
Djokovic’s 2022 campaign began horribly due to his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and how Tennis Australia and the federal government handled the situation.
The Serbian champion was rocked again when Rafael Nadal won the Australian Open to seize a record 21 singles grand slam titles. The legendary Spaniard moved to 22 when he achieved Roland-Garros glory.
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Djokovic will compete at Wimbledon but, in a blow to the 35-year-old, US border rules still require proof of vaccination.
US Tennis Association chief executive and executive director Lew Sherr, whose group runs the US Open, has told The Associated Press that the USTA board decided to let Russians and Belarusians enter the tournament because of “concern about holding the individual athletes accountable for the actions and decisions of their governments”.
The US Open’s decision stands in contrast to that of Wimbledon organisers, who have locked out the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Victoria Azarenka from this year’s tournament due to the war on Ukraine.
Sherr said athletes from Russia and Belarus would play at Flushing Meadows under a neutral flag – an arrangement that’s been used at various tennis tournaments around the world, including Roland-Garros.
Since Russia began its attacks on Ukraine in February, Russian athletes have been prevented from taking part in many sports, including the FIFA World Cup qualifying play-offs. Belarus has aided Russia in the war.
Russia was also held out of two international team events in tennis in which it was the reigning champion: the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup.
Wimbledon’s ban drew immediate criticism from the ATP and WTA, along with some prominent players, such as Djokovic.
The ATP and WTA in May both said they would not award any rankings points for Wimbledon this year, an unprecedented rebuke of the All England Club.
Some players, including four-time major champion and former No.1 Naomi Osaka, said they would consider sitting out Wimbledon.
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The ATP has said all points earned at Wimbledon in 2021 will fall off a player’s record and no new points will be earned there this year.
The WTA has not decided exactly how last year’s rankings points from the All England Club will be treated, but no new points can be added based on how a player performs there this time.
Sherr told the AP that what happened with Wimbledon – both the All England Club’s move to keep players from certain countries out and the tours’ reaction – played no role in the USTA’s choice to let Russian and Belarusian players in.
“Our discussion was really on the merits and really the principles around both sides of this argument. This was not a commercial-versus-an-ethical question,” Sherr said.
“There are arguments on both sides. Are you being perceived as supporting atrocious acts by a government? And at the same time: would you hold an individual athlete accountable for that?”
Sherr said the ATP and WTA tours organised a series of conversations with athletes from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus and various governing bodies in tennis, and that the heads of both tours addressed the USTA board before its decision.
The USTA plans to offer additional financial assistance for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and will use the US Open as a platform to raise awareness about the war.
“This is a horrific situation and we, along with everyone else in tennis, absolutely condemn what is an unprovoked and unjust invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and everything is framed in that context,” Sherr said.
“As difficult as some of these decisions may be, none of it amounts to the difficulties being experienced in Ukraine right now, and the tragedies and atrocities.”
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