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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Matt Majendie

Novak Djokovic included in Indian Wells draw despite doubts over participation

Novak Djokovic has been included in the main draw for Indian Wells this week despite apparently not being eligible to play in the United States.

Under US Covid rules, any non-American adult citizen must have been vaccinated against the virus to enter the country with very few exceptions permitted.

But Djokovic, who was kicked out of Australia on the eve of the first Grand Slam of the year, revealed in a recent interview that he had still not been vaccinated.

The former world No1’s name remains on the entry list although event organisers said they had yet to ascertain if the Serbian would be able to travel to the US in order to compete.

In a statement, tournament bosses said: “Novak Djokovic is on the tournament entry list, and therefore is placed into the draw. We are currently in communication with his team.

“However, it has not been determined if he will participate in the event by getting a CDC [Centres for Disease Control and Prevention] approval to enter the country. We will provide updates in the future as we learn more.”

Djokovic is in danger of finding his playing options increasingly limited in the US in particular unless Covid rules are loosened.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion has made it clear that he still has no intention of getting vaccinated and said he was content that could be to the detriment of his bid to become the most successful tennis player in history.

Djokovic, who is on the Indian Wells schedule to play on Saturday, recently told the BBC: “The principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else.”

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