Andy Roddick thinks the US Open would definitely be better with Novak Djokovic participating but underlined that one country’s policy will never be dictated by a tennis tournament or a specific tennis player. Djokovic is healthy and ready to play, but he will likely miss out on the US Open because he can’t enter the United States as an unvaccinated foreigner.
“I’ll always care about the US Open. I also think the tourney would be better w Novak in it. Realistically, a tennis tournament/player is never going to affect government policy,” Roddick tweeted.
A Djokovic fan then tweeted at Roddick that he “will never be like Reilly Opelka, John Isner and Tennys Sandgren.”
Roddick: Government policies are not dictated by tennis tournaments
“Probably true. I think he should be able to play, but spamming all things US Open is useless. Throwing your toys all over twitterverse won’t change the govt policy.
A tennis tournament, and a specific player won’t dictate govt policy. You can be mad at me for basic facts if needed,” Roddick tweeted in a response.
In an interview with The New York Post, Roddick said it is “unfortunate” that the last Grand Slam of the season will go on without Djokovic.
But Roddick also noted that Djokovic was aware of the consequences his vaccine stance would bring. “I think it’s unfortunate that he can’t play. But the writing has been on the wall, and he’s making a choice.
I think we all deal with the consequences of our given choice. I think a tournament would be better for having him in it. But I also don’t know that it’s the US Open or the USTA’s place to kind of override government policy.
I think it’s ridiculous for anyone in general fandom to expect that of a tennis tournament,” Roddick told The New York Post.
