“Why we are still abiding by this law?” – Novak Djokovic’s forced withdrawal from Indian Wells angers fans
Novak Djokovic has decided to withdraw from the Indian Wells Open 2023 after his application for exemption from vaccination mandate was declined by US authorities.
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Novak Djokovic (Image Credit: NBC News)
Novak Djokovic will not be playing in this year’s Indian Wells Open as he withdrew his name from the entry list. This is the latest setback for the current World No.1, who after a triumphant run at this year’s Australian Open was on bulging with confidence. The US authorities have decided to decline exemption for the 22-time Grand Slam champion from its mandatory double vaccination policy.
This is the second time in a row, when he will not be able to play at this prestigious tournament. Also, it is more or less probable that he will not be able to participate in another ATP 1000 event, i.e., the Miami Open, which is scheduled to start on March 19.
Meanwhile, the BNP Paribas Open confirmed Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal from the Masters tournament. With his exit, Nikoloz Basilashvili has got entry into the tournament.
Eminent journalist Ben Rothenberg too, shared this news in his latest social media post.
Australian sports broadcaster Wide World of Sports, too, made their comments on this news.
Novak Djokovic’s World No.1 ranking is under grave threat as he is likely to miss this tournament. Also, the suspense over his participation in the US Open 2023 continues.
Continue Reading: What is the prize money for the Indian Wells Open 2023?
Social media reacts to this news
Novak Djokovic is one of the most popular tennis players in the world. His absence from the tournament will surely have a negative impact on the marketability and popularity of the Indian Wells Open. Also, this can be a serious concern for the organizers and sponsors as Rafael Nadal too is not playing in this tournament this time around because of an injury.
However, social media is not taking this news lightly. Many tennis fans are disappointed learning this news and they are also sharing their disappointment on social media. Many are also criticizing the US Government and the federal authorities for still sticking to the double vaccination mandate against Covid-19, despite low occurrences of Covid-19 among US population and within US territory. Here are a few reactions that came in.
With the two greatest players in the sport out of the tournament, the onus is now on players of the current generation and the young guns to light up this tournament. Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Taylor Fritz and others will definitely try to take advantage of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s absence from this tournament.
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Abhar Indorkar
(451 Articles Published)