Novak Djokovic confirmed this Wednesday that he will not be able to compete this month at the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells and Miami due to restrictions on the entry of people not vaccinated against the coronavirus into the United States.
“Although I was automatically on the draw list for Indian Wells and Miami, I knew it would be unlikely that I would be able to travel,” Djokovic said in a message on his social media. “The CDC (United States health authority) has confirmed that the regulations will not change, so I will not be able to play in the United States. Good luck to those who play in these big tournaments.”
Djokovic , who already missed the Australian Open in January due to his refusal to be vaccinated, was included until this Wednesday in the Indian Wells participant draw, a tournament he has won five times and whose men’s first round starts on Thursday.
On Tuesday, the organizers of Indian Wells, the first Masters 1000 of the season, surprised to report that Djokovic was to be included in the draw for first-round matches.
The organization indicated that it was in communication with the Serb’s team to determine if he could receive authorization to enter the United States, which he has not finally obtained. Under government regulations, all travelers who are not US citizens must have a full COVID-19 vaccination schedule to enter the country.
Due to not being vaccinated, Djokovic already lost a legal battle in Australia earlier this year, where the national authorities canceled his visa and forced him to leave the country without competing in the first Grand Slam of the season.
In February, Djokovic returned to the courts at the Dubai tournament as the United Arab Emirates does not require vaccination to enter its territory. His elimination in the quarterfinals of that event caused him to be surpassed by the Russian Daniil Medvedev as number one in the ATP ranking.
