Novak Djokovic is almost certain to miss the 2022 US Open, not because of injury but because he is unvaccinated against COVID-19.
Currently, the USA does not allow foreign travelers to enter the country without a vaccination or exemption certificate for coronavirus. It's possible that Djokovic could play under a special exemption that will need to be applied by the USTA and approved by the relevant authorities.
However, early reports indicate that will not happen in the slightest as the tennis governing body in the United States will adhere to government rules, shutting down any hope of Djokovic appearing at the final Grand Slam of the season.
The only other viable option he could consider now is getting vaccinated, which seems very unlikely, as he's made his stance clear regarding the vaccination. In the extraordinary event that the US government lifts restrictions on foreign citizens, Djokovic can travel.
The pandemic is still claiming many lives worldwide, and there has been a spike in cases in the USA. Another player who remains unvaccinated for now is American Tennys Sandgren, who took to social media to express his disbelief about the reports that Djokovic won't get any special treatment from the tournament organizers.
"Pretty shameful that the USTA won’t fight for an exemption for Novak. No surprise the government hasn’t changed it's archaic policy. I can play but he can’t? Ridiculous."
Sandgren makes the interesting point that he can play the US Open despite being unvaccinated, but Djokovic can't. Playing at the event is not a problem for Djokovic; it's traveling to the country legally in accordance with the laws that make it impossible for him to be there.
He's already missed Indian Wells and Miami, two big tournaments held on American soil. And this won't be the first time Djokovic will miss a Grand Slam because of the coronavirus restrictions, as he was infamously deported from Australia despite having a valid exemption document.