"Drag him, Reilly! Good for you for pointing out his bias and unprofessionalism" - Novak Djokovic fans side with Reilly Opelka as he confronts a journalist in the Serb's defense

With just five days to go until the 2022 US Open begins, the debate around Novak Djokovic's participation is getting intense by the hour. Reilly Opelka engaged in a Twitter war with Ben Rothenberg on Tuesday after the journalist called the Serbian &quot;selfish&quot; for not withdrawing from the tournament earlier.Rothenberg, the editor of Racquet Magazine, stated that had the 21-time Grand Slam champion withdrawn before the start of qualifying matches, Spain's 242nd-ranked Pol Martin Tiffon would have been invited to play the qualifiers. After Djokovic's fans confronted Rothenberg, the journalist called the tennis star &quot;selfish&quot; for not letting another player get in.Opelka countered his claim by praising Novak Djokovic and saying that Rothenberg's &quot;hatred and obsession towards Djokovic was unprofessional.&quot; &quot;Why wouldn’t he give himself the best chance of playing? “Desperately clinging on” has gotten him pretty far in this business wouldn’t you say? Your personal hatred and obsession towards Novak is so unprofessional,&quot; Opelka responded.Reilly Opelka@ReillyOpelkaWhy wouldn’t he give himself the best chance of playing? “Desperately clinging on” has gotten him pretty far in this business wouldn’t you say? Your personal hatred and obsession towards Novak is so unprofessional. twitter.com/BenRothenberg/…Ben Rothenberg@BenRothenbergIf Djokovic wants to take the selfish route and wait as long as possible to the detriment of others, that’s his prerogative. I’m just documenting this because it’s wild to see a star who can’t legally enter the US (because of his own choices) desperately clinging on like this. twitter.com/akaashkolluri/…4151578If Djokovic wants to take the selfish route and wait as long as possible to the detriment of others, that’s his prerogative. I’m just documenting this because it’s wild to see a star who can’t legally enter the US (because of his own choices) desperately clinging on like this. twitter.com/akaashkolluri/…Why wouldn’t he give himself the best chance of playing? “Desperately clinging on” has gotten him pretty far in this business wouldn’t you say? Your personal hatred and obsession towards Novak is so unprofessional. twitter.com/BenRothenberg/…Most fans seemed to laud Opelka for speaking out for the 21-time Grand Slam winner, with one fan suggesting that Rothenberg should step aside from the US Open and allow someone who earns less than him to take his place.&quot;With @BenRothenberg desperately clinging on to a media job that he doesn’t deserve, one fewer decent journalist will get to cover the US Open. Surely Ben should step aside and allow someone who earns less money than him to cover the event. That money would mean a lot to them,&quot; a fan wrote.Crows22222@crows22222@ReillyOpelka With @BenRothenberg desperately clinging on to a media job that he doesn’t deserve, one fewer decent journalists will get to cover the US Open. Surely Ben should step aside and allow someone who earns less money than him to cover the event. That money would mean a lot to them.37543@ReillyOpelka With @BenRothenberg desperately clinging on to a media job that he doesn’t deserve, one fewer decent journalists will get to cover the US Open. Surely Ben should step aside and allow someone who earns less money than him to cover the event. That money would mean a lot to them. https://t.co/E5s5cXeT95Another fan stated his appreciation for Opelka's words and wished him well.&quot;Thanks Reilly, this is very appreciated. So many of us admire your bravery in telling the truth and keeping it real. We've got your back, hope you get back fit soon mate,&quot; a tweet read.Pavvy G@pavyg@ReillyOpelka Thanks Reilly, this is very appreciated. So many of us admire your bravery in telling the truth and keeping it real. We've got your back, hope you get back fit soon mate.1905@ReillyOpelka Thanks Reilly, this is very appreciated. So many of us admire your bravery in telling the truth and keeping it real. We've got your back, hope you get back fit soon mate.A few of them also disagreed with his point of view, suggesting that the journalist was making a valid point.&quot;I would like to hear Novak answer this specific thing. As Ben says, his prerogative but it seems to me like an impolite disservice to the tournament and other players given the existing rules so it’s a legitimate question,&quot; a user posted.ThinkTennis@Think_Tennis@AminStereo @ReillyOpelka I would like to hear Novak answer this specific thing. As Ben says, his prerogative but it seems to me like a impolite disservice to the tournament and other players given the existing rules so it’s a legitimate question.411@AminStereo @ReillyOpelka I would like to hear Novak answer this specific thing. As Ben says, his prerogative but it seems to me like a impolite disservice to the tournament and other players given the existing rules so it’s a legitimate question.Here are a few more fan reactions to the war of words between Opelka and the journalist:TENNISter@tenni_ster@ReillyOpelka @NoleLondon He really needs someone to put him in his place. He is doing this for so long and still getting away with it because Novak hasn't sued him yet.10@ReillyOpelka @NoleLondon He really needs someone to put him in his place. He is doing this for so long and still getting away with it because Novak hasn't sued him yet.Ibrahim Al khoury 🇸🇾🇷🇸✝️✝️@IbrahimKhory@ReillyOpelka Did anybody tell you that you are the best american player ever Thank you so much for saying the truth 27@ReillyOpelka Did anybody tell you that you are the best american player ever 💪💪💙💙Thank you so much for saying the truth 💜🙏Edu Ribas@eduardomendesr5@ReillyOpelka Drag him Reilly! Good for you for pointing the obvious bias and unprofessionalism that this journalist has.5@ReillyOpelka Drag him Reilly! Good for you for pointing the obvious bias and unprofessionalism that this journalist has.AshX@DjokoAsh@ReillyOpelka Thanks Reilly.. That Ben guy keeps pushing his hatred and unfortunately some people cant even see it... Thanks for saying it out aloud481@ReillyOpelka Thanks Reilly.. That Ben guy keeps pushing his hatred and unfortunately some people cant even see it... Thanks for saying it out aloudAmin B@AminStereo@ReillyOpelka I don’t know why players even answer his questions in post match press!1526@ReillyOpelka I don’t know why players even answer his questions in post match press!Karen Yesenia@karenytv3@ReillyOpelka Say it how it is and say it LOUDER! Thanks, brother 🏽🏽17@ReillyOpelka Say it how it is and say it LOUDER! Thanks, brother 💪🏽👊🏽Blaine@blaineclimati@ReillyOpelka @TennisBlogger1 Weird someone so concerned with financial gains of players can’t see how novaxx completely screwed a player out of making qualies money and your compatriot Alex Kovacevic out of making his MD debut and huge prize money29@ReillyOpelka @TennisBlogger1 Weird someone so concerned with financial gains of players can’t see how novaxx completely screwed a player out of making qualies money and your compatriot Alex Kovacevic out of making his MD debut and huge prize moneyThe Tennis Betting Podcast@Tennis_bet_24_7@ReillyOpelka Its never been referenced that he has desperately been clinging on his whole career? You just made that up now to suit your talking points and agenda. It was always only referencing the vaccine issue and the fact he leaves it late taking a spot from someone else.15@ReillyOpelka Its never been referenced that he has desperately been clinging on his whole career? You just made that up now to suit your talking points and agenda. It was always only referencing the vaccine issue and the fact he leaves it late taking a spot from someone else.PBB 👩&zwj;❤️&zwj;💋&zwj;👨 | fluent in catalan@baetencourt@ReillyOpelka the best chance of playing would be to get vaccinated… he will literally not be let in the country without that and he knows it so why is he waiting for the law to change for him at the expense of others?42@ReillyOpelka the best chance of playing would be to get vaccinated… he will literally not be let in the country without that and he knows it so why is he waiting for the law to change for him at the expense of others?Novak Djokovic awaits decision on his 2022 US Open participationNovak Djokovic at the 2020 US Open.Based on the set of COVID-19 rules and regulations released by the US Government in June, foreign travelers are required to show proof of vaccination against the virus.With Novak Djokovic stating that he was standing firm on his decision not to get vaccinated, he's currently denied entry into the country, thereby running him out of the US Open. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently said that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people are likely to catch and spread the disease and hence, should be treated equally. They removed a rule that required people entering America to be vaccinated, though it only applies to American citizens currently.Djokovic and his fans now wait with bated breath for the CDC to implement the same rule for non-citizens before the New York Grand Slam gets underway on August 29.

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