U.S. Open Would Be A ‘Joke’ Without Novak Djokovic

With the U.S. Open set to begin Monday, four-time champion John McEnroe says it would be a “joke” if Novak Djokovic isn’t in the draw due to his vaccination status and added that “there’s a lot at stake for him personally” if he doesn’t play in the year’s final Grand Slam.

“My opinion about Novak is what I’ve been stating for a while that I think it’s a joke if he’s not allowed to participate here,” McEnroe said Wednesday on an ESPN conference call with reporters.

At this point, the 35-year-old Djokovic is not allowed into the U.S. as an unvaccinated foreigner and his official schedule indicates he has no upcoming tournaments planned.

“It doesn’t look good,” McEnroe said of Djokovic’s status for the Open. “I guess we’ll know by [Thursday] when the draw is made [at noon]. It’s been very unfortunate for him and for tennis, I believe, just to have an opportunity for him [to] play. It’s just a shame this whole year.”

He added: “As I’ve said before, if it was me personally, I’ve had couple of vaccines, a booster shot. I would have done that. But maybe that’s why he’s won 21 and I won seven, because he’s using [this] mentally to fuel him, that mentality, I’ve got to do what I believe in. So that’s an issue. Just seems like after all this time that we should be allowing him to play.”

McEnroe said “it will be a great event” with or without Djokovic, adding “It would be better if Novak was there, obviously.”

Djokovic, a 21-time Grand Slam champion, has said he won’t get the Covid-19 shots, even if that means he can’t go to certain tournaments. He missed the Australian Open in January after being deported from that country and needed to sit out two events in the United States earlier this year.

He did play in the French Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Rafael Nadal, and at Wimbledon, which Djokovic won last month for his 21st Grand Slam title — one behind the men’s record of 22 held by Nadal.

“Getting thrown out of Australia where he won eight or nine times, that’s one he obviously could have won, as well as the French, he wasn’t ready,” McEnroe said. “I think the ramifications of what happened hurt him against Nadal. I think he got tired, either mentally or physically. I’m not saying he definitely would have won but he could have won. If he won that match he would have won the whole thing in my book.

“He wins Wimbledon, gets back to that level and he’s not able to play here. And I don’t even know for certain that he could go to Australia in January right now. So obviously there’s a lot at stake for him personally.”

He added: “So, the biggest thing for [Djokovic] is his personal risk that he’s risking. Rafa, if he were to win this he would be two ahead [at 23 majors], that it would be tougher to separate himself in terms of the overall Grand Slam wins. And he’s talked about wanting to be at the top of the heap and the greatest ever, which I respect, that he has the guts to say that.”

Djokovic has long craved the love of fans on a level matching his chief rvals, Nadal and Roger Federer, who owns 20 majors and will return next month at the Laver Cup in London.

“Novak’s been battling for years to get the same level of love and respect as Rafa and Roger,” McEnroe said. “And he could probably play to the end of time and that won’t happen. I’m sure on some level that’s frustrating to him. It shows you just how great he really is. He’s been able to fuel him mentally to heights that no one thought was possible. And last year you would have assumed that when he was a match away before that that he was going to be the guy that had the most. So, this is going to be a great tournament. It will be better if Novak is there. No question.”