Novak Djokovic. Photo: Martin Dokoupil/Getty Images
Novak Djokovic will not compete in the Indian Wells Open or Miami Open due to his unvaccinated status, the 20-time Grand Slam champion announced on Wednesday.
The big picture: Djokovic previously said in a BBC interview that he is willing to skip Grand Slam tournaments over his vaccination status, saying it was a price he was "willing to pay."
- Noncitizens must be vaccinated as well as test negative for COVID-19 to enter the U.S.
Worth noting: The world No. 2 is the only player in the top 100 who has not received a COVID-19 vaccine, the Times reports.
- He was unable to compete in the Australian Open in January because of his unvaccinated status despite multiple appeals.
- Without Djokovic in the draw, Rafael Nadal won the title and broke his three-way tie with Djokovic and Roger Federer for most Grand Slam titles.
What they're saying: Djokovic said on Twitter that he had been automatically listed in the draws for both tournaments but knew that it'd be unlikely he would be allowed to travel to the U.S.
- "The CDC has confirmed that regulations won’t be changing, so I won't be able to play in the U.S.," he said.