Packers QB Aaron Rodgers slams the decision to bar antivaxxer Novak Djokovic from the US Open

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was livid that fellow antivaxxer and tennis star Novak Djokovic was not allowed to compete at the US Open. 

The 21-time Grand Slam champion was unable to compete at Flushing Meadows this year after he was refused entry to the United States due to Covid-19 restrictions. 

Rodgers slammed the decision on Bill Maher’s ‘Club Random’ podcast, questioning why the best player in the men’s game was barred from competing.  

‘The best f***ing player on the men’s side can’t play,’ Rodgers said of Djokovic. 

‘One of the most fit guys in the f***ing world whose had Covid at least once, if not twice, can’t f***ing come to New York?’ 

Rodgers further implied that regulations did not make sense as he recalled when Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving attended his team’s NBA game courtside at Barclays Center but couldn’t play in the game due to New York City’s vaccine mandate.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (left) was livid that fellow anti-vaxxer and tennis star Novak Djokovic (right) was not allowed to compete at the US Open

The 21-time Grand Slam champion took to Twitter to break the news to his fans in August

‘Kyrie Irving attended a basketball game courtside but couldn’t play for his team,’ Rodgers said. 

‘How is that f***ing possible? He attended a basketball game and got to watch it in the stands but couldn’t play f***ing play on his team because he wasn’t vaxxed.

‘Make it make sense. You can’t.’

Meanwhile, Djokovic could make his return to tennis’ majors in the New Year as he looks set to have his ban on entering Australia rescinded in time for January’s Grand Slam there.

Speaking to Bill Maher (above) on his Club Random podcast, Rodgers slammed the decision

Government sources have told Melbourne media outlets the 35-year-old Serb will be allowed in to contest the tournament he has won nine times previously.

Unvaccinated travelers are now permitted to enter the country, but Djokovic was barred for three years after the fiasco around this year’s Australian Open.

But as Sportsmail reported at Wimbledon, Tennis Australia have been confident for some time that the ban will be lifted.

Djokovic has missed two Slams this year and in the one that he won — Wimbledon — he was unable to claim any points.

The Serb was barred from two of tennis’ Grand Slams this year – the US and Australian Open 

That has seen his ranking fall to No 7 and in his absence Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz faced Norway’s Casper Ruud in Sunday night’s US Open final, with the winner crowned world No 1.

However, US Open officials did stress that Djokovic will be welcome to play at the Grand Slam in 2023.

‘Novak is a great champion and it is very unfortunate that he will be unable to compete at the 2022 US Open, as he is unable to enter the country due to the federal government’s vaccination policy for non-US citizens,’ tournament director Stacey Allaster said in a statement.

‘We look forward to welcoming Novak back at the 2023 US Open.’

In Djokovic’s absence, Carlos Alcaraz was crowned champion and became the world No 1

Last August, Rodgers said he was ‘immunized’ and repeatedly did not wear a mask in settings in which they would be appropriate. 

Rodgers also chose his words carefully when speaking about the vaccine at a training camp back in August 2021. Instead of saying he was ‘vaccinated,’ Rodgers would say he was ‘immunized,’ which some presumed to mean that he had received the injection.

However, Rodgers may have meant that he had COVID-19 antibodies from a previous infection. 

Rodgers has maintained that he is not ‘anti-vax’ in general but that it wasn’t the right decision for him, adding how he believed he was in the ‘crosshairs of the woke mob right now.’