DeSantis Makes Push To Get Djokovic Into Miami Masters… By Boat!
by Staff | March 7th, 2023, 11:31 pm
  • 14 Comments

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is making a late bid to try to get Novak Djokovic into the U.S. in time to play the Miami Masters.

Because he is unvaccinated, Djokovic cannot enter the U.S. by air, however DeSantis is trying to get him in via boat!

DeSantis, who is considered to be the frontrunner to become the next president should he run, wrote to President Biden requesting Djokovic be allowed to enter the U.S. and compete in Miami.

“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.

“Mr. President – lift your restrictions and let him compete,” DeSantis posted on twitter.

DeSantis wrote in his letter:
“It has been reported that Novak Djokovic has formally applied and been denied permission from your administration to enter the United States so that he may compete at the upcoming Miami Open tennis tournament. This denial is unfair, unscientific and unacceptable. It’s time to put pandemic politics aside and give the American people what they want – let him play.

“I note that since the onset of COVID-19, Mr. Djokovic has visited the United States twice — including once during your presidency — without any apparent health incident.

“It is also not clear to me why, even by the terms of your own proclamation, Mr. Djokovic could not legally enter this country via boat. Please confirm no later than Friday, March 10, 2023 that this method of travel into Florida would be permissible.

“Mr. Djokovic is an extraordinary tennis player who should have every right to compete in this year’s Miami Open, which will commence on March 20. I respectfully ask you to grant his requested exemption so that he may delight and inspire tennis fans in Florida and around the Nation.

So Djokovic could fly to the Bahamas and hop on a boat? Sounds plausible, but will the White House allow it and if they do would Djokovic come?

The problem for Biden/White House is if they let Djokovic in then they must let everyone else as well. The travel policy as a whole will likely ease in the coming months, perhaps as soon as May 11. But for now, it’s unlikely that the Serb will be able to play Miami.

The World No. 1 has already withdrawn from Indian Wells and hasn’t played in the U.S. since his 2021 US Open loss to Daniil Medvedev.


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14 Comments for DeSantis Makes Push To Get Djokovic Into Miami Masters… By Boat!

tennismonger Says:

Haha…who didn’t see this one coming?! ;-)

March 8th, 2023 at 11:47 am


zed Says:

I think it would be better for Novak to concentrate on preparing for his coming win of the French Open. All of these political distractions can only serve to drain his energy.

I’m looking forward to Sascha being proven right and Nada retiring when he loses the French this year.

And then only a month later, Wimbeldon as well!

Game over for Nada and Fed fans … forever!

March 8th, 2023 at 5:03 pm


Wog Boy Says:

Zed, game is already over for both of them, regardless who wins FO (definitely not Nadal).
The person who didn’t manage to win at least one WTF can’t be in conversation, not to say that he never won three masters out of nine.

Nadal is out of top10 and if he doesn’t improve his rankings he will face possibility to have top 10-20 player in the early rounds. The reason Nadal has never won WTF is because he is not capable of beating at least 4 top10 players (sometimes 5 like Nole in Turin) from the word go and that in one week.

GS tournaments are different, he is facing less skilled players in the early rounds, almost until SF (2017 USO he didn’t have to beat one single top 20 player in order to win it, not one single top 20 player) which gives him time to play himself into top form, WTF doesn’t give him that luxury.

Agree about Miami, Nole doesn’t need it, hopefully future American President won’t succeed in his bid to overturn decision on Nole not being able to enter America.

March 8th, 2023 at 5:22 pm


zed Says:

WB, thanks for those very insightful points. I honestly didn’t understand the implications of Nada dropping out of the top 10.

But, then I think of the fixed draws of the past and I wonder if they will fix the draw again to make sure he doesn’t face anyone highly ranked.

But then I think, does it matter? He’s losing to all sorts of players (because he’s “injured” LOL) and that could continue.

In any case, Nada is way way way closer to the end than Novak. Novak will still be going long after Nada is full-time on his jet ski.

March 8th, 2023 at 6:52 pm


Wog Boy Says:

Zed, I think you misunderstood me when I wrote ….“Zed, game is already over for both of them..”, I was referring to the other two, not Nole.

March 9th, 2023 at 3:57 am


Alison hodge Says:

Seems a bit stupid he’s aloud to play the USO but not Indian Wells, doesn’t make any sense….

March 9th, 2023 at 7:22 am


zed Says:

WB, OK I see.

Alison, The USA will lift unvaccinated international entries after May 11th.

Before May 11th it is not safe but after May 11th it is safe because … science.

p.s. in the meantime unvaccinated US citizens can fly in and fly out, unvaccinated foreigners can come in by boat no problem and anyone, and I mean ANYONE, can walk in across the southern border and bring as much fentanyl as they want.

It all makes perfect sense

March 9th, 2023 at 5:09 pm


chrisford1 Says:

Novak needs to be wary of yet again becoming a football in other nation’s politics, as he was between forces in Australia.
As for the other stuff. Federal bar on anti-vaxxers ends May 11. DeSantis wants to use Djokovic as a tool to humiliate Biden, while Biden has tools to humiliate Djokoic in retaliation.

1. Not “game over” for Federer or Nadal any more than it is “game over” for other retired legends (Borg, Becker, Goran, Pvt Hudson) or ones on the downslope (Murray). They did their time as star athletes, had great fame and fortune. From Day 1 in their sport they all know it would end one day, game over for good. It will for Djokovic as well, one day.

2. Things outside the Slams matter. If you are inclined to get into GOAT topics, what do you think will impress more in 40 years when not as many people follow tennis? This guy got 23 titles on the old Slams system, the other guy only got 22? Or, this guy was within 1 on Slams, but his rival spent over 7 years as #1 might have made 8 but for his whacky medical ideas. (Nadal didn’t even make it to 5, Federer fell just short of 6.) This guy had 2 Masters Sweeps. Only needed 2 to make 3 Sweeps. Is he the GOAT? No one else has even 1. No one with more ATP Championships. Why did he stink at the Olympics? Who knows…it was 40 years ago.

3. When you have someone as talented as Djokovic, you don’t do him any positive service urging his team reserve all his energy and training into one event his fans want him to win the most. “Reserving” Roger for Wimbledon did him no favors. Except, perhaps, stringing his sponsors and fans along.

4. Djokovic was not allowed to play anywhere in N America in 2022. His vaccination status alone of pro players. Amazing when you think of the past when he proudly showed his world traveling poodles and how they had to be pincushions with full shot and vaxx cards in order to be on Tour with him.

March 9th, 2023 at 5:19 pm


zed Says:

Novak has poodles?

March 9th, 2023 at 5:25 pm


Wog Boy Says:

“DeSantis wants to use Djokovic as a tool to humiliate Biden…”

Uhh, if you live outside America you would know that Biden is humiliating himself every single time he shows up on TV, whether to “talk” or to fall walking up the stairs, no need for anybody else to humiliate him, he does it to himself just by appearing in public.

Seriously, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t laugh at him or make jokes about him, but sadly, he humiliates ordinary Americans too, majority of people don’t get it how on earth he could have been voted in by American people?!
The man is a walking joke, but joke with a power to cause a lot of harm and misery to the rest of the world and that’s not laughing matter.

March 9th, 2023 at 7:14 pm


zed Says:

WB, he was not voted in by the American people. He was installed by the Washington regime that fixes elections.

He actually suits them quite well because they need someone who will not resist their agenda. They want a mindless puppet who’s just happy to line his pockets and those of his family and does what they tell him.

We are in dark times indeed.

March 9th, 2023 at 7:20 pm


skeezer Says:

CF1,
Great to hear some objectivity about Novak coming from a Nole fan. Thanks, a readable opinion about him. Other comments have been the usual scroll down.

Especially like #2 and yes, it matters.

March 9th, 2023 at 7:25 pm


Jim Says:

Djokovic doesn’t need to play IW or Miami, there is nothing left to prove there for him. His real target for this year are GS tournaments. He has a good chance to win RG, he is a clear favorite on WI, and he can definitely win the USO, with some luck.

March 11th, 2023 at 10:00 am


Wog Boy Says:

Jim,
Mats Wilander agrees with you, plus majority of Nole fans.
He said recently something else that I agree with him and that is that 10 and 14 are very comparable, referring to AO and FO. His argument is that not everyone is good on clay nor they fell in love with clay but everyone can play on HC, explaining that players field that you are facing on hard court in order to win it is much stronger that the field on clay.

March 11th, 2023 at 6:28 pm


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