Djokovic may lose No 1 ranking
If Djokovic, 34, is still unvaccinated, he will require an exception from the US government.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic’s participation in the first three ATP Masters 1000 tournaments of this season is in doubt due to restrictions on unvaccinated travellers in both the United States and France.
After being deported from Australia last month on “health and good order grounds”, the world No 1 from Serbia is scheduled to return to competitive action at the Dubai Championships, starting on February 21. Players who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 are permitted entry to the United Arab Emirates for the ATP 500 event.
Beyond this, Djokovic’s schedule is uncertain. He has automatically appeared on the entry list for next month’s Indian Wells Masters by virtue of his ranking, but it is not clear whether he will actually be able to play in the Californian desert.
A press release issued by organisers this week curiously stated that the men’s list was “led by Rafael Nadal”, despite Djokovic’s status as the world’s best player. Djokovic also has five Indian Wells titles to Nadal’s three.
If Djokovic, 34, is still unvaccinated, he will require an exception from the US government. These are issued to individuals who are medically unable to receive the vaccine or emergency travellers who do not have timely access to a jab. Humanitarian exemptions are granted on an “extremely limited basis”.
Should Djokovic not be given permission to enter the United States, he will also be unable to compete in next month’s Miami Masters. This means that he could potentially lose his world No 1 ranking, as Masters tournaments offer a considerable number of points, second only to the four grand slams.
Similar protocols are also in place for April’s Monte Carlo Masters, the traditional curtain-raiser to the European clay-court swing. The tournament director Zeljko Franulovic confirmed that Djokovic will have to follow Covid-19 vaccine passport regulations, with the venue located on French soil only 150 metres from the Monte Carlo border.
Andrea Gaudenzi, chairman of the ATP tour, said: “We want to see Novak happy and healthy, and we want to see him play. We want the best players for the best tournaments and Monte Carlo is one of them. It’s one of the most important events on the calendar.”
