“The decision is unfortunate,” ATP chief Andrea Gaudenzi expresses disappointment over ‘withdrawal’ of Novak Djokovic from Indian Wells
Big blow to the sport as it misses out Novak Djokovic from the Indian Wells and Miami Open after missing out Rafael Nadal.
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Novak Djokovic
The world No.1, Novak Djokovic remains unvaccinated against Covid-19 and has attempted to secure an exemption from the Biden administration that would allow him to compete in the Indian Wells and Miami Open tournaments. However, his efforts have gone in vain and he finally withdrew from the tournaments.
The United States has not been allowing foreigners who are not vaccinated since the pandemic. However, even after the situation got better and many countries relaxed many rules, the American government has not given Djokovic any exemption from playing the tournaments. Due to his entry being denied, he couldn’t participate in the Indian Wells Open and Miami Open happening this month.
Speaking recently, Gaudenzi said, “The decision is unfortunate not only for him but for our tournaments and fans, especially given the easing of Covid-19 restrictions around the world and in the US. He is the No. 1 player in the world and everyone in tennis wishes for him to have a chance to compete at our biggest events.”
Describing Djokovic’s withdrawal from the BNP Paribas Open as a “big disappointment,” he expressed his regret. This will be a major blow to the sport of tennis following the retirements of Roger Federer and Serena Williams. Considering how big these two tournaments are, missing out on the big players will definitely hamper attendance.
Novak Djokovic withdraws from Indian Wells 2023
According to organizers on March 6th, Novak Djokovic, the current world No. 1 tennis player, officially pulled out of the ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells tournament. This suggests that Djokovic’s request for special permission to enter the US may have been declined, as he had previously applied to American authorities for an exemption due to his unvaccinated status against the covid.
Previously, the world No,1 had expressed optimism about participating in both the Indian Wells and Miami Open tournaments. Despite travel restrictions, the US Open and the United States Tennis Association had urged the government to grant an exemption for the athlete to enter the country. But Unfortunately, his request was denied and he finally withdrew.
This will be a big blow to the organizers, fans, and the entire tennis world to miss their favorite players in action. Rafael Nadal already withdrew from the tournament citing his injury. Adding to the woes, Djokovic also withdrew his name making it worse for everyone.
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Santhosh Tenneti
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