The Novak Djokovic vaccine saga has extended into 2023.
The world No. 1 Serbian tennis star was denied entry into the United States due to him being unvaccinated against COVID-19, forcing him to withdraw from the BNP Paribas Open, which starts Wednesday in Indian Wells, Ca.
Djokovic had requested a vaccine waiver, but was denied by Homeland Security.
It’s not the first time that Djokovic has been forced out of competition due to his vaccination status.
The 35-year-old was forced to withdraw from the 2022 Australian Open after arriving in Melbourne, first having his visa cancelled and then being deported out of the country.
Djokovic also did not play in the 2022 U.S. Open, which Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz ended up winning.
The vaccine drama and subsequent missed tournaments caused Djokovic to temporarily lose his hold on the No. 1 ranking, but he regained that status after winning the 2023 Australian Open once the country loosened their vaccine requirements.
The BNP Paribas tournament announced his withdrawal on Sunday night.
Play in the combined ATP-WTA event at Indian Wells Tennis Garden and runs through March 19.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said on Twitter that Homeland Security had rejected Djokovic’s vaccine waiver request, which would have allowed him to play back-to-back at Indian Wells and Miami, which runs March 19-April 2.
The U.S. is ending its COVID-19 emergency declaration on May 11, which will allow foreign air travelers to enter the county without being vaccinated.
That could allow Djokovic entry into the US for the summer hard court season, including the US Open.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion lost in the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Friday to Daniil Medvedev.
With Djokovic out, Nikoloz Basilashvili moved into the Indian Wells draw.
– With AP