Djokovic withdraws after failed visa bid to play at Indian Wells

World number one Novak Djokovic has formally withdrawn from the draw for the Indian Wells tournament, organizers said on Sunday.

The Serbian star had an application for a COVID-19 vaccine waiver to enter the U.S. and it might have failed.

“World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the 2023 BNP Paribas Open. With his withdrawal, Nikoloz Basilashvili moves into the field,” organizers said in a statement late on Sunday.

Novak Djokovic has chosen not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and the U.S. government has chosen not to relax its policy against unvaccinated individuals from entering the country.

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Defending champion Novak Djokovic out of US Open

The world No. 1 will not play Indian Wells: https://t.co/OHeczh66WU

— TENNIS (@Tennis) March 6, 2023

The U.S. currently bars unvaccinated foreigners from entry into the country, a policy that is expected to be lifted when the government ends its COVID-19 emergency declarations on May 11.

Djokovic has not competed at the back-to-back ATP Masters events in Indian Wells and Miami, two of the biggest tournaments on the ATP calendar and known as the “Sunshine Double”, since 2019.