Unvaccinated Djokovic unable to enter U.S. for Indian Wells, Miami Open

Novak Djokovic mentioned that he won’t be able to compete on the hard-court tennis tournaments in Indian Wells, California, or Miami as a result of he’s unvaccinated and might’t journey to the USA.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion tweeted Wednesday that the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management “confirmed the laws will not be altering so I will not be capable of play within the U.S.”

Djokovic, who lately dropped to No. 2 within the ATP rankings, has performed in just one event thus far in 2022 as a result of he has not obtained any pictures to guard in opposition to COVID-19. He was deported from Australia in January and was not allowed to attempt to defend his title at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic is a 34-year-old from Serbia who mentioned in April 2020, because the coronavirus pandemic raged, that he was against needing to be vaccinated to journey. In June of that 12 months, with skilled tennis on hiatus, he organized a sequence of exhibition matches in Serbia and Croatia with no guidelines requiring social distancing or masking — a tour that was known as off after some gamers, together with Djokovic, acquired COVID-19.

His title was put within the draw for the BNP Paribas Open in California on Tuesday, regardless that his standing was up within the air as a result of the U.S. has been requiring international guests to be vaccinated to enter the nation. As well as, the event had beforehand introduced that everybody on-site at Indian Wells would must be totally inoculated.

“Whereas I used to be mechanically listed within the @BNPPARIBASOPEN and @MiamiOpen draw,” Djokovic wrote Wednesday, “I knew it might be unlikely I might be capable of journey.”

Indian Wells is beneath approach this week; the Miami Open begins on March 21.

“We understood from the start that Novak’s participation on the Miami Open was determinant on his entry into the USA, which we knew can be an extended shot,” mentioned James Blake, the event director in Miami. “We have now an extremely deep and gifted participant discipline, and sit up for internet hosting a terrific occasion.”

Chris Widmaier, a spokesman for the U.S. Tennis Affiliation, which runs the U.S. Open, mentioned the group would don’t have any remark apart from to notice that the occasion follows authorities pointers. The American Grand Slam event is scheduled to start on Aug. 29.

Turbulent begin to 12 months

It has been a turbulent begin to 2022 for Djokovic, who went via detention and a court docket case throughout an 11-day saga in Australia earlier than he was despatched house. In the course of the authorized back-and-forth, Djokovic mentioned he wasn’t vaccinated and thought he ought to get a medical exemption to guidelines requiring the pictures as a result of, he mentioned, he examined optimistic for COVID-19 once more in December. He additionally mentioned he attended an in-person interview with a reporter regardless of having that outcome.

On the final day of final month, Djokovic dropped out of the No. 1 rating for the primary time in two years, sliding to No. 2 behind Daniil Medvedev. Djokovic’s 361 whole weeks atop the ATP are a report, as are his seven instances ending a season at No. 1.

And on March 1, Djokovic introduced that he and coach Marian Vajda had been splitting up after 15 years collectively.

In his lone event of the 12 months, Djokovic misplaced to Jiri Vesely within the quarterfinals of the Dubai Championships.

WATCH | Djokovic deported from Australia:

Novak Djokovic deported from Australia after dropping last enchantment

High-ranked tennis participant Novak Djokovic has been deported from Australia after dropping his last enchantment to not have his visa revoked, which means he couldn’t compete within the Australian Open. Djokovic’s lack of COVID-19 vaccination has galvanized tennis followers, Australians and turn out to be a rallying cry for anti-vaxxers. 2:01