Next entry fuss about Novak Djokovic: After the Serb appeared in the seeding list for the Masters in Indian Wells, there was uncertainty as to whether the unvaccinated superstar would receive an exemption to enter the USA.
Novak Djokovic does not play in the ATP tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami. The former number one in the tennis world rankings justified this decision on Wednesday by saying that the US health authority CDC did not change its rules for entry and that he could not compete in the two events. The Serb had stated in a BBC interview in mid-February that he was still not vaccinated against the corona virus.
He was seeded number two in the Indian Wells top-flight event. Due to the withdrawal, the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrow is now in the seeding list. The day before, the organizers of the Masters 1000 tournament, where Tommy Haas is tournament director, had announced that they were in contact with Djokovic’s team and that it was unclear whether the Serb could enter the USA. The 34-year-old said he wished the participants in the tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami good luck.
Djokovic was expelled from the country just before the start of the Australian Open earlier this year and was therefore unable to defend his title in Melbourne. The longtime world number one and 20-time Grand Slam winner had traveled to Australia believing that he had an exemption for entry. A federal court, however, decided otherwise. Djokovic has played his only tournament this year in Dubai. There, only a negative PCR test was required to participate, but no vaccination against the corona virus.
Nadal is now the clear favorite
Australian Open champion Nadal is the favorite at the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year on Thursday. The Spaniard has his sights set on his fourth title at Indian Wells. The 21-time Grand Slam winner is still unbeaten this year, most recently he triumphed in Acapulco. “He’s the one to hit,” said tournament director Haas about the 35-year-old. The number one challenger in Southern California is the Russian world number one Daniil Medvedev, who recently lost out to Nadal in Melbourne and Acapulco.
The Lower Austrian Dominic Thiem, Indian Wells winner 2019, was preparing for his return to the ATP Tour there, but now only wants to open again in the sand season.
The women’s competition in Indian Wells started on Wednesday. The eyes are mainly on Naomi Osaka. The Japanese, who was not doing well in sport recently and who slipped down to 78th place in the ranking, won the tournament in 2018 at the age of 20 and subsequently made a triumphant advance to number one. At the start, the unseeded Osaka were given a difficult task. The American Sloane Stephens, who just triumphed in Guadalajara, is waiting. In California, however, the top two in the world rankings are missing, Australian Ashleigh Barty and Barbora Krejcikova from the Czech Republic.
