PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KNX) — Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic’s name has appeared on a list of players expected to participate in the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in March.
Djokovic is the world’s top-ranked tennis player, but as of last month chose not to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Visitors to the U.S. are required to be fully vaccinated against the virus in order to enter the country by plane.
The player was deported from Australia last month for failing to comply with the country’s vaccine mandate. He has not played a match since November at Madrid’s Davis Cup.
Djokovic, 34, was allowed into Australia to compete in Melbourne’s Australian Open. The tournament had granted him a medical exemption to its own event-level vaccine requirement. But an Australian judge ruled on Jan. 15 that the country’s immigration minister was legally entitled to revoke Djokovic’s visa’s due to his unvaccinated status.
Djokovic was ordered to leave the Australia before playing in the tournament, and subsequently returned to Serbia.
Djokovic still has time to withdraw from Indian Wells should he choose to forgo vaccination before March 7. It is also possible that travel restrictions implemented by the U.S. State Department may be relaxed or lifted by then.
There are exemptions to the United States’ federal vaccine mandate as well — but it’s unclear whether the Serbian player would qualify for any.
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