London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 07, 2026

0:00
0:00

Serbs turn to Biden over Djokovic entry ban

US President Joe Biden has received a letter from a group of Serbian-Americans imploring him to allow Novak Djokovic into the country so that the tennis icon can compete at the US Open next month, according to reports.
As things stand, Djokovic will not be able to play at the Grand Slam in New York because unvaccinated non-citizens are not allowed into the country.

Djokovic, 35, has resisted calls to get jabbed against Covid-19, repeating after his Wimbledon triumph earlier this month that he was willing to miss out on titles rather than relevant to the pressure.

His stance means he is set to miss the tournament at Flushing Meadows – an event where he has claimed three of his 21 Grand Slam titles down the years.

The situation is a disappointment to Djokovic’s legion of fans, not least among the Serbian diaspora in the US.

According to Serbian media outlet Politika, one group has directly addressed Biden with a plea to grant Djokovic entry to the US.

The efforts are apparently being led by Nebojsa Jovanovic, who owns a company promoting tennis among the diaspora, in conjunction with the Serbian American Voters Alliance (SAVA).

The plea to Biden reportedly cites Presidential Proclamation 10294, which allows for travel exceptions to be made for non-citizens “whose entry would be in the national interest.”

“The US Open is the biggest tennis tournament in the world, and it won't be what it is without Novak Djokovic,” Jovanovic was quoted as saying in the letter.

“Considering the economic situation and the crisis at all levels, America must not allow the US Open not to take place in its full glory and capacity, which also means the arrival of Novak Djokovic, who has been crowned three times at the US Open.

“Novak does not pose any security threat, is one of the healthiest people in the world due to his disciplined life and serves as a role model and inspiration to millions around the world.

“It is in America's interest that the biggest tournament in the world hosts the best player in the world, especially since he just won a seventh Wimbledon title in London,” added Jovanovic in the letter, which is said to have been sent to Biden on July 22.

The group is said to have consulted Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenney and her team about the issue, as well as Congressman Frank Mrvan.

Djokovic was included on the provisional US Open entry list last week, although organizers promptly clarified that it was merely a formality, and that they “respected” the American government’s stance on entry rules for non-vaccinated foreigners.

The entry ban on Djokovic has caused frustration among the likes of unvaccinated American player Tennys Sandgren, who will be allowed to play in New York.

The 31-year-old described the situation as “shameful,” while US tennis icon John McEnroe accused politicians of “getting in the way too much.”

Unless Biden heeds the calls from members of the Serbian-American community, the US Open will be the second Grand Slam that Djokovic is forced to miss this year.

The former long-time world number one was infamously deported from Australia at the start of the year in a row over his vaccine status.

Djokovic may be forced to miss the event in Melbourne again next year due to a three-year re-entry ban unless government officials intervene.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The Implications of Expanding Voting Rights to Non-EU Foreign Residents in France
Ghislaine Maxwell to Testify Before US Congress on February 9
Al.com Acquired by Crypto.com Founder for $70 Million
Apple iPhone Lockdown Mode blocks FBI data access in journalist device seizure
Belgium: Man Charged with Rape After Faking Payment to Sex Worker
KPMG Urges Auditor to Relay AI Cost Savings
US and Iran to Begin Nuclear Talks in Oman
Winklevoss-Led Gemini to Slash a Quarter of Jobs and Exit European and Australian Markets
Canada Opens First Consulate in Greenland Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions
China unveils plans for a 'Death Star' capable of launching missile strikes from space
NASA allows astronauts to take smartphones on upcoming missions to capture special moments.
Trump administration to launch TrumpRx.gov for direct drug purchases
Investigation Launched at Winter Olympics Over Ski Jumpers Injecting Hyaluronic Acid
U.S. State Department Issues Urgent Travel Warning for Citizens to Leave Iran Immediately
Wall Street Erases All Gains of 2026; Bitcoin Plummets 14% to $63,000
Epstein Case Documents Reignite Global Scrutiny of Political and Business Elites
Eighty-one-year-old man in the United States fatally shoots Uber driver after scam threat
UK Royal Family Faces Intensifying Strain as Epstein-Linked Revelations Rock the Institution
Political Censorship: French Prosecutors Raid Musk’s X Offices in Paris
AI Invented “Hot Springs” — Tourists Arrived and Were Shocked
Tech Mega-Donors Power Trump-Aligned Fundraising Surge to $429 Million Ahead of 2026 Midterms
UK Pharma Watchdog Rules Sanofi Breached Industry Code With RSV Vaccine Claims Against Pfizer
Melania Documentary Opens Modestly in UK with Mixed Global Box Office Performance
Starmer Arrives in Shanghai to Promote British Trade and Investment
Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua and Premier League Stars Among UK’s Top Taxpayers
New Epstein Files Include Images of Former Prince Andrew Kneeling Over Unidentified Woman
Starmer Urges Former Prince Andrew to Testify Before US Congress About Epstein Ties
Starmer Extends Invitation to Japan’s Prime Minister After Strategic Tokyo Talks
Skupski and Harrison Clinch Australian Open Men’s Doubles Title in Melbourne
DOJ Unveils Millions of Epstein Files, Fueling Global Scrutiny of Elite Networks
France Begins Phasing Out Zoom and Microsoft Teams to Advance Digital Sovereignty
China Lifts Sanctions on British MPs and Peers After Starmer Xi Talks in Beijing
Trump Nominates Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair to Reorient U.S. Monetary Policy Toward Pro-Growth Interest Rates
AstraZeneca Announces £11bn China Investment After Scaling Back UK Expansion Plans
Starmer and Xi Forge Warming UK-China Ties in Beijing Amid Strategic Reset
Tech Market Shifts and AI Investment Surge Drive Global Innovation and Layoffs
Markets Jolt as AI Spending, US Policy Shifts, and Global Security Moves Drive New Volatility
U.S. Signals Potential Decertification of Canadian Aircraft as Bilateral Tensions Escalate
Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 20 Months for Bribery
Tesla Ends Model S and X Production and Sends $2 Billion to xAI as 2025 Revenue Declines
China Executes 11 Members of the Ming Clan in Cross-Border Scam Case Linked to Myanmar’s Lawkai
Trump Administration Officials Held Talks With Group Advocating Alberta’s Independence
Starmer Signals UK Push for a More ‘Sophisticated’ Relationship With China in Talks With Xi
Shopping Chatbots Move From Advice to Checkout as Walmart Pushes Faster Than Amazon
Starmer Seeks Economic Gains From China Visit While Navigating US Diplomatic Sensitivities
Starmer Says China Visit Will Deliver Economic Benefits as He Prepares to Meet Xi Jinping
UK Prime Minister Starmer Arrives in China to Bolster Trade and Warn Firms of Strategic Opportunities
The AI Hiring Doom Loop — Algorithmic Recruiting Filters Out Top Talent and Rewards Average or Fake Candidates
Amazon to Cut 16,000 Corporate Jobs After Earlier 14,000 Reduction, Citing Streamlining and AI Investment
Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Powell Faces DOJ Criminal Investigation During 2026 Decision
×