Fifth Grand Slam without a world number one. Novak Djokovic was not allowed into the United States!

Novak Djokovic will once again be missing from the line-up at Indian Wells and Miami. After his request for an exemption from the coronavirus vaccine was rejected, the Australian Open champion will not appear at the Sunshine Double after four years, continuing to pay the price for years of refusing the vaccine.

He started the season the best he could. First he dominated the event in Adelaide, then he won his tenth Australian Open triumph. The first defeat of the year was inflicted on Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Dubai event by Daniil Medvedev. Now the Serb has to take an enforced break.

The ATP spring season is marked by the so-called “sunshine double”, a pair of Masters tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami. The “fifth grand slam”, as the tournament on Californian soil is called, starts this Wednesday. But just before the start of the tournament, the world No. 1 has announced his withdrawal.

This information was released by the tournament headquarters in Indian Wells without further details. However, based on the current conditions in the USA, it is clear that the twenty-two-time Grand Slam champion will not appear at the next tournament in Miami.

The coronavirus vaccination is still required for entry into the United States until at least 11 May this year. The Serbian tennis player’s attitude towards the coronavirus vaccination is very well known to the tennis world.

He also had to miss a pair of Grand Slams last season due to his refusal of the mandatory vaccine. For a long time there was speculation about a possible exemption for Novak Djokovic, but in the end it did not happen.

The Serbian has won the title eleven times in his career at Indian Wells and Miami. However, the last time he played in them was four years ago.

Source: Tennis.com