"Concentrate on fixing Florida's problems": Tennis fans hit out at Governor Ron DeSantis for petitioning Novak Djokovic's Miami Open participation

Following his Indian Wells withdrawal, Novak Djokovic is most likely to be banned from participating at the 2023 Miami Open as well due to his unvaccinated status.

As per the current vaccine mandate in the US, unvaccinated foreigners are restricted from entering the country until atleast April 10, 2023. The Miami Open, however, is set to commence on March 19 and hence, the Serb's chances of competing in the tournament look slim.

Meanwhile, Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida, has backed the 35-year-old's appeal to participate in the Masters 1000 tournament. He maintained that Biden's vaccine mandate was “misguided and unscientific” and urged the government to lift the restrictions for the World No. 1.

"The only thing keeping Novak Djokovic from participating in the Miami Open tennis tournament is President Biden’s misguided and unscientific COVID-19 vaccination requirement for foreigner travelers," his tweet read.

Tennis fans, on the other hand, were not happy about the petition, sarcastically mocking how Republican senators act as if they know who the World No. 1 is only when the vaccine mandate becomes involved. They were of the opinion that DeSantis' remarks were just a political facade and that the 22-time Grand Slam champion was being used as a political pawn.

"Ah! Here we are on the eve of the vernal equinox, a hallowed pagan ritual marking one of the two times per year when Republican senators pretend to know who Novak Djokovic is," one fan wrote in their tweet.

Another user was irritated by how concerned DeSantis was about a foreign tennis player while he had other major issues to settle back home in Florida.

"Amazing that DeSantis the fascist is all upset about a foreign tennis player being denied entry to the USA and meanwhile Florida students are being denied books to read and journalists are denied their right to free speech. But yeah - some jock is way more important," read their tweet.

Here are a few other fan reactions:

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"Hope he is allowed entry into the country" -

Miami Open organizers' statement on Novak Djokovic's participation

2023 Dubai Tennis Championships - Day Twelve

The Miami Open organizers, meanwhile, recently released a statement supporting Djokovic as they expressed hopes of the Serb being granted entry into the United States.

Taking to social media, the organizers called the 22-time Grand Slam champion one of the "greatest players of all time," adding that his presence in the tournament would be a great blessing for Floridians.

"Novak Djokovic is one of the greatest tennis players of all time and a six-time champion of the Miami Open. We hope he is allowed entry into the country so Floridians have the opportunity to see him compete once again," they wrote on Twitter.

Novak Djokovic last played at the Miami Open in 2019, where he suffered a third-round exit upon losing against Roberto Bautista Agut.