Chris Evert believes not allowing Novak Djokovic to compete in Indian Wells and Miami will only make the Serb more determined and hungry to win when he returns to action. Last year, Djokovic missed the Us Open and three Masters events in the United States just because he couldn’t enter the country as an unvaccinated foreigner.
In February, Djokovic applied to be granted a special permission to enter the United States this March for Indian Wells and Miami. On Sunday, Djokovic pulled out of Indian Wells after his request was denied. “Yeah, I think the more somebody tells Novak he can’t do this, the more determined he is.
When he has control of the situation, it gives him more fuel and it makes him more determined to succeed, and stick it in everybody’s face at the same time, make his point. He is like the anti-hero sometimes, he seems to really rise to the occasion when he is challenged and when he’s told ‘no,'” Evert told Eurosport.
Evert believes Djokovic will be ‘more hungry to win’ when he returns
On Friday, Florida senator Rick Scott tweeted that Djokovic’s request was rejected by the US authorities. In his message, senator Scott urged US President Joe Biden to allow Djokovic to compete in Miami.
“BREAKING: We have been told that @DHSgov just denied @DjokerNole’s vaccine waiver request, making him ineligible to compete in the US next week in CA & in the @MiamiOpen. @JoeBiden must fix this NOW, grant the waiver & allow him to compete here in the states,” Scott tweeted on Friday.
Djokovic is still on the Miami entry list but his chances of now being allowed to compete there are slim to none. Last week in Dubai, Djokovic said he would turn his focus on the clay season and Monte Carlo Masters in case he was denied participation in the Sunshine Double.
