Novak Djokovic will not play the Indian Wells Masters 1000, which begins Wednesday in California. The world number 1, who still refuses to be vaccinated against Covid-19, did not obtain the exemption he had requested from the authorities. He is therefore forced to forfeit, as he will most likely also have to give up the Masters 1000 in Miami.
The great return of Novak Djokovic on American soil will wait. Despite the support of the American Tennis Federation as well as the organizers of the US Open tournament, which had both supported the request of the world number 1 a few days ago to be able to enter the territory without being vaccinated against Covid -19, the Serb will finally not be able to play the Indian Wells tournament, the first of the two Masters 1000 of the US tour, which will depute Wednesday in California.
To be able to participate in the meeting without being vaccinated while Washington will prohibit entry to travelers in the same case as Djokovic until at least mid-April, the “Djoker”, five times winner of the event, had tried to obtain a special exemption. It was refused, and the winner of the last Australian Open, who has not set foot in the United States since his lost final in New York two years ago, therefore had no other choice. than to forfeit a few hours before the draw, as he had hinted after his defeat in the semi-finals in Dubai against Daniil Medvedev last Friday. “If this request is refused, I will of course withdraw from the tournament. »
Djokovic should miss Miami too
In the same way, it is already to be expected that Djokovic, who has also won five times in Florida, will be forced to very quickly give up participating in the Masters 1000 in Miami (March 22 to 2 april). The regulation that applies to Indian Wells is indeed the same with regard to Miami, on which any player still refusing to be vaccinated or still not yet can prepare to draw a line. Djokovic, deprived for this reason of the Australian Open last year but also of the last US Open, is part of this very closed circle. And he continues to pay the price.
