Novak Djokovic’s 2023 campaign, which commenced in Adelaide, saw its first setback with respect to his chances of participating in the upcoming US tournaments.
It was announced on Wednesday that the US Transportation Security Administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which was supposed to be relaxed on January 8, was extended until April 10, 2023.
The update is set to affect Djokovic’s likelihood of contesting the Indian Wells Masters (to be held from March 8-19) and the Miami Open (to be held from March 22-April 2).
However, it has been widely suggested that the mandate, which focuses on non-citizens traveling to the country by air, may have some loopholes. Most recently, leading tennis journalist Jon Wertheim hinted that the Serb may be able to implement certain pathways to circumvent the situation, without explicitly mentioning the possible scenarios.
The journalist further suggested that the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), founded by Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2019, could take the initiative to guide the 21-time Grand Slam champion.
"There are, I am told, possible exemption pathways here. The PTPA has an opportunity to score an early win," Wertheim said.
