The wife argued that Djokovic did not inject vaccines

On July 13, journalist Ben Rothenberg tweeted that Novak Djokovic was an "anti-vaccine icon", saying that the owner of 21 Grand Slams might miss the US Open.

Rosenberg's article later caused great controversy. Djokovic's wife, Jelena, retorted on Twitter: "Novak is not a symbol of anti-vaccine for any reason. He just makes decisions for his own body."

Like it or not, Djokovic has unknowingly become an anti-vaccine symbol, said Rosenberg, who often writes for the New York Times. That was validated in Australia when a group of people sided with Djokovic and agreed that he would not be vaccinated.

"That's your point of view," Elena continued to criticize. "We have the right to do what is best for our bodies. It doesn't matter if we can't play because of that decision."

Djokovic is likely to miss the U.S. Open because the U.S. government requires foreigners to hold vaccine passports to enter the country. In his final press conference before leaving Wimbledon, Djokovic insisted he had not been vaccinated and that his only chance at a Grand Slam in New York was for the U.S. to relax entry rules.

Rotenberg suggested Djokovic lacked a sense of community responsibility. He said on Twitter: "Djokovic is a champion with great global influence. I criticize him because it is important. He must be responsible for his information and actions."

If he is unable to travel to the US next month, Djokovic may have to wait until the French Open in 2023 to make another Grand Slam appearance. The 35-year-old tennis player was banned from entering Australia for three years.