Former world No 1 Novak Djokovic, who is unvaccinated, was deported from Australia earlier this year ahead of the Australian Open; he returned to the court in Dubai but suffered a shock quarter-final loss to Jiri Vesely
Last Updated: 09/03/22 10:43pm
Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, the tournament announced on Wednesday.
The world number two, who also confirmed he will not be competing at the Miami Open, has refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine and previously said he was unsure if he would be allowed to enter the United States for the Masters 1000 tournament in the Southern California desert.
Djokovic said on Instagram: “While I was automatically listed in the @bnpparibasopen and @miamiopen draw, I knew, given the entry requirements to the US, it would be unlikely I’d be able to travel there.
“But as international COVID regulations are always being amended, I wanted to wait and see if anything would change.
“The CDC confirmed today that regulations are not changing which means I will not be playing in the US.”
His withdrawal means Grigor Dimitrov will take Djokovic’s place in the draw, while a lucky loser from qualifying will fill Dimitrov’s place in the draw once qualifying is complete, the tournament confirmed on social media.
More to follow…