What does the new CDC ruling mean for Novak Djokovic's US Open participation?

Novak Djokovic's quest to enter the 2022 US Open draw was handed a rather sizable boost on Friday as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relaxed its COVID-19 guidelines to a significant degree.

According to the latest information, unvaccinated people will no longer be treated any differently compared to those who have taken the full dose of vaccines. The CDC went one step further, declaring that people exposed to the virus are no longer required to quarantine and that screening for unsymptomatic carriers is no longer necessary.

Understandably, the decision came under fire from citizens of the country, seeing that it goes against everything the CDC has been saying all this time.

Djokovic's fans, on the other hand, saw it as welcome news, especially the part where the same guidelines apply to vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

The US Open, meanwhile, did not comment in light of the new announcement, sticking by their original remarks that it will "respect the U.S. government's position regarding travel into the country for unvaccinated non-U.S. citizens."

Unfortunately, despite the CDC declaring that the onus for safety is now squarely on the general population, here's the catch: all those liberties extend only to United States citizens. Nowhere has it been said explicitly that the rule changes also apply to people entering from other countries -- the original issue in Djokovic's case.

Already, unvaccinated American players like Tennys Sandgren are allowed to compete at Flushing Meadows. Only the Serb, who will have to get clearance from border control before making his way into the US, was at the mercy of the vaccine mandate.

Prominent figures in the country have now begun clamoring for the same, suggesting that if unvaccinated Americans pose no health risk, the same should also be considered in the case of the 21-time Grand Slam champion.

Outkick founder Clay Travis, Congresswoman Claudia Teeney and journalist Sophie Corcoran have begun upping the pressure on the organizers of the New York Major to request their government to provide the World No. 6 a medical exemption, similar to the one that provisionally made him available for the Australian Open at the start of this year.

The former World No. 1's fans have joined them as well, bombarding the tournament's social media accounts with demands to let their favorite player into the event at the end of this month.

It remains to be seen whether the 35-year-old will get the chance to win his 22nd Grand Slam this season itself, and time is of particular essence in this scenario. With all but two weeks left until the start of the US Open, fans will be hoping that the CDC amends its guidelines for the entry of non-citizens soon as well, while still leaving enough time for Djokovic to apply for a visa and get it processed.

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Novak Djokovic withdraws from 2022 Cincinnati Open

Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the 2022 Cincinnati Open

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic had to pull out of the last stop in the lead-up to the US Open, the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, due to the aforementioned vaccine mandate in the United States.

The 21-time Grand Slam champion hasn't played any tennis since his triumph at Wimbledon last month, meaning that even if he is allowed to play at Flushing Meadows at the last minute, he will have a considerable amount of rust to shed off.

Considering his quality, though, that should not be a major problem, as the Serb has proved time and again that he can step up his level against all odds when the situation calls for it.