'It's a joke' John McEnroe launches explosive Novak Djokovic rant amid US Open drama

John McEnroe has called it a 'joke' the possibility that Novak Djokovic won't be allowed to participate in the US Open. Djokovic was one of the greatest athletes in the world to refuse to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

His attempts to play at the Australian Open this year became world news before he was eventually sent off hours before the Grand Slam was due to start. As the year progressed, more and more countries eased restrictions on visitors from their countries and Djokovic was able to play at Roland Garros and Wimbledon earlier this summer.

But Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines mean that unvaccinated foreigners are still not allowed to enter the United States. This means that he hasn't been able to play in any of the hard-court North American tournaments since winning Wimbledon.

The biggest question mark remains whether Djokovic will be in the draw when the US Open kicks off next week. There have been reports this week that Djokovic has officially stepped down, but nothing has been confirmed so far.

But with days to go before the main draw, it looks increasingly unlikely that he will be given the green light to enter the United States. And seven-time Grand Slam champion McEnroe doesn't understand why the restrictions are still in place.

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"No, I don't think that's fair," McEnroe said during a US Open preview. "I think it's a joke.

“I would have had the vaccine and I would have played, but he has very strong beliefs and you have to respect that. At this point in the pandemic, we are two and a half years away, I think people in all parts of the world know more about it, and the idea that he can't travel here to play is a joke to me."

Djokovic already missed his chance to lead most Grand Slam titles won by a male player when he was kicked out of Australia earlier this year. To add even more insult to injury, Rafael Nadal scored one of the most remarkable major wins of his long career to edge out Djokovic and Roger Federer.

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The Spaniard then moved up two points as he continued his dominance at Roland Garros before Djokovic pulled one back at Wimbledon. But Djokovic's omission from the US Open would be another blow to his hopes of winning the most Grand Slam titles, with Australia also not changing their restrictions.

"Obviously Rafa Nadal took advantage of that," McEnroe added. "Of course, if a guy...