Casper Ruud 'not crying' Novak Djokovic will miss U.S. Open over COVID-19 vaccination

As had been expected for weeks, if not months, all-time tennis great Novak Djokovic confirmed on Thursday that he will not be competing in this summer's U.S. Open because he cannot board a flight to enter the country over his much-discussed decision to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19. 

One of his peers somewhat came to his defense ahead of the year's final Grand Slam tournament. 

As Tennis365 noted on Friday, fifth-seeded Casper Ruud spoke with Barbara Schett and Mats Wilander of Eurosport about Djokovic's resistance to receiving one of the COVID-19 vaccines that kept him from participating in this year's Australian Open and has now prevented him from playing in New York. 

"It’s an individual sport so all the players will think about themselves firstly, so it’s not too much talk, honestly," Ruud explained. "I think it’s sad that politics will get in his way, or these rules will get in his way." 

Djokovic won the Wimbledon final earlier this summer and is now on 21 career Grand Slam singles titles, one behind men's all-time record holder Rafael Nadal and one ahead of Roger Federer. 

"He’s chasing Rafa with one more ahead of him in the Grand Slam count, so he’s chasing history," Ruud continued about Djokovic. "I do think that it could be in the best interest of the country. He has won there many times before and he has brought a great crowd to the stadium. You can argue that it’s in the best interest of the country. He’s a big superstar. Having him and Rafa in the final would be so epic because everyone knows what’s on the line.

"I do think it’s very sad [but] for me, personally, I’m not crying about it. But as a colleague, I’m sad about it." 

Earlier this week, ESPN analyst and tennis legend John McEnroe remarked he does not "think it's fair" and believes "it's a joke" that Djokovic can't travel to the country to play in the U.S. Open.