United States refusing entry to the country to unvaccinated international travelers and the Transportation Security Administration recently advanced that this measure will not be modified at least until mid-April.
One day before they celebrate the draw of matches, the organization of the Indian Wells Masters 1000 confirmed the loss of Djokovic for the third consecutive edition.
“Novak Djokovic, world number one, has withdrawn from the 2023 edition of the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells),” the tournament said, adding only that Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili will take the Serb’s place in the draw.
After Indian Wells, the first Masters 1000 of the year, Djokovic will possibly also cause loss in the next tournament in that category, the Miami Open.
Djokovic’s request to the US authorities had received public support this week from the US Open, the Grand Slam tournament organized in this country, and from the national tennis association.
The Serb, who lost his first match of 2023 in the semifinals of the Dubai tournament on Friday, said he hoped to hear the decision before the Indian Wells draw takes place on Monday.
Djokovic’s refusal to get vaccinated has already kept him out of important tournaments in recent years and even caused him to be deported by the Australian authorities when he attempted to compete at the Australian Open in early 2022.
Djokovic, who in 2022 could not play the US Open eitherhad a triumphant return to Australia this year adding his 22nd Grand Slam title, with which he equaled the record of the Spanish Rafael Nadal.