There’s finally a glimmer of hope for Novak Djokovic over his participation in the much-anticipated US Open, after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced a wave of changes to relax the COVID-19 guidelines. Djokovic has earlier withdrawn from numerous events in the US as the bord law restricts unvaccinated persons from entering their territory.

While the new guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is far from over, the onus has been shifted from an institution to an individual. Organizations no longer need to regularly test their employees, and those affected by the virus need not quarantine themselves. Moreover, putting on a mask is not mandatory in most places.

But the most important decision that seems to have enhanced the chances of Djokovic’s participation this year is removing the differentiation between vaccinated and unvaccinated. 

The CDC has quashed the quarantining guidelines for unvaccinated people. Previously, only vaccinated people could skip self-isolation if they came in close contact with an infected person. The ramification of this move is likely to be felt in the US’s strict border control laws.

Djokovic, who has publicly refused to get jabbed, has missed too many events, including the Australian Open at the beginning of the year. Djokovic was debarred from entering Australia because of his vaccination status. He has played only seven tournaments this season, including two majors. 

The Serb recently said that he is already preparing for the US Open even though he can’t travel as per the current guidelines. He wrote, “I am preparing as if I will be allowed to compete, while I await to hear if there is any room for me to travel to the US.”

Djokovic’s name hasn’t yet been struck off from the entry list of the US Open. He has made no secrets of his ambition to finish his career with the most number of the grand slam and is currently just one behind his arch-rival Rafael Nadal’s record of 22 majors. He lost to Nadal at Rolland Garros but soon chipped off the major count deficit by winning Wimbledon for the seventh time. 

If Djokovic doesn’t get the green light, he’ll have to wait for almost a year for his next major appearance, since he is also banned from playing in Australia.

Lead Image: Novak Djokovic/Instagram