Novak Djokovic is included on the entry list for the BNP Paribas Open 2022 in California. The tournament is set to begin from 7th March 2022 and will go on till 20th March 2022.
Djokovic is a five-time champion at Indian Wells, where he hasn’t played since 2019. He hasn’t played a match since November at the Davis Cup in Madrid and is scheduled to play a tournament in Dubai later this month.
Nole got his visa cancelled by the Australian government last month after he had arrived in Melbourne. He made an appeal and won his case to stay in Australia. He was released from immigration detention shortly, after the decision to cancel his visa was quashed.
However, Australia’s immigration minister, Alex Hawke used his personal “governmental powers” and deported Novak back to Belgrade.
Novak Djokovic to Show Proof of Vaccination to Play in Indian Wells
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) nor Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tours require players to be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), non-US citizens must be fully vaccinated to travel to the US by plane.
Djokovic could face difficulties even getting into the United States, because foreign air travellers have had to be fully vaccinated since November 2021 and provide proof before boarding flights. There is very few exemptions.
A statement was released by the organisers of the tournament. It said: “The BNP Paribas Open will require valid proof of full vaccination to enter the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for the tournament.”
“Guidelines for the players are governed by the protocols established by their respective governing bodies, the WTA and ATP, as well as any restrictions established by the United States of America in regard to the vaccination status of international travellers entering the country.”
Djokovic is set to make his return to the tennis court at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships later this month. Vaccination is not a requirement for playing there.
Nadal & Tsitsipas to Play in the Tournament
The statement released by the organisers included the list of players who will play.
The statement read, “A power-packed line-up of ATP top-10 players will join [Rafael] Nadal in looking to put together a breakthrough performance in Tennis paradise.
“2021 US Open champion and 2022 Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev (world no. 2), 2021 ATP Finals winner Alexander Zverev (world no. 3), and 2021 French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas (world no. 4) will each be in search of their maiden title in the desert.”
“Reigning BNP Paribas Open champion Cameron Norrie (world no. 13) will look to replicate his extraordinary 2021 title run, in which he won his first Masters 1000 crown.
“World no. 1 and five-time Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic is also on the tournament entry list.”
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