By Scoop Malinowski
A good friend I met at US Open qualies many moons ago reached out to me this week to express his frustrations with the direction pro tennis is going…
“Hope all is well. I was reading that they will not let Djokovic into the country because he has no vaccine. Could he possibly go through the southern border from Mexico into Texas and get in that way? Because they do not check vaccines there.”
“I am not as political as you are but I must tell you I am furious over this. Is there anything we can do to help him?”
“An illegal alien can walk across the border no vaccine and get full benefits and get a free flight to New York. Why can’t Djokovic do this?”
“Remember he will never be able to get back into Australia either. And unfortunately this is going to kill him in the race for most Grand Slams.”
“He is my hero. He should win Wimbledon but remember none of the Russians will be there either and neither will Sasha Averev so the field is going to be decimated.”
“It makes me sick. I cannot take the politics anymore. Did you see (NFL coach) Jack Del Rio was fined $100,000 because of what he said and the next day Stan Van Gundy said the exact opposite thing and he was praised by the media.”
“I will see you at US Open qualifying. Not planning on going to any other ATP tournaments until then. I am just so upset about what is happening with the politics and the sport.”
It’s shocking to learn that my good friend Aaron, a doctor from Long Island, NY, who I have met up with in Miami, Newport and US Open on many occasions, has become disenchanted by the direction pro tennis is currently taking. If the tennis establishment can’t right the ship they may do irreparable damage to the sport, or even destroy it’s integrity. Because Aaron is by far not the only tennis enthusiast who is displeased about how badly the ATP and establishment are mistreating Novak Djokovic.
ATP · Novak Djokovic · US Open · Wimbledon
