BNP Paribas Open: Novak Djokovic wants to play Indian Wells, seeks waiver of vaccine rules

Novak Djokovic said Wednesday that he wants to play at next month's BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and has applied for an exemption to COVID-19 vaccination rules so he can enter the United States to compete there and in a Miami tournament that starts days after the BNP ends.

Djokovic, the Serbian tennis star and top-ranked player in the men’s game, shared an update on his situation with reporters following a practice session in Belgrade, Serbia.

“It’s not in my hands,” Djokovic said. “I am waiting for an answer. All I know is that the process is ongoing, but I am glad I have the support of the tournament directors. I just hope that the third party, which makes the decision, will think the same.”

Currently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires all foreign travelers flying into the country to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The mandate is in place until May 11. The Republican-controlled U.S. House passed a bill Feb. 8 to dissolve it immediately, but it has not passed the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Djokovic, 35, has been open about his unwillingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccination and has said he would be willing to miss tournaments over it. He has already missed a few, including the 2022 Australian Open, an event he has now won 10 times, and the 2022 U.S. Open, which he has won three times.

In part because of COVID-19 and the travel requirement, Djokovic has not played at Indian Wells or the Miami Open, referred to as the Sunshine Double, since 2019. They are the two largest American tournaments after the U.S. Open, a Grand Slam.

Indian Wells and Miami were canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and Djokovic chose to withdraw from the events in 2021. Last year, with the foreign travel requirement in place, he did not play in any U.S. tournament.

Though it wasn’t a packed schedule for Djokovic, he still managed to win Wimbledon for the seventh time and the ATP Finals for the sixth time. He then followed the tour finals with a title in Adelaide, Australia, last month before beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian Open final. The win tied Djokovic with Rafael Nadal for the most Grand Slam titles (22) in the history of the men’s game.

With two tournament titles to start the year, Djokovic is 12-0 on the season. He is celebrating his 377th week at world No. 1, which ties him with Steffi Graf for the most in the history of both the men’s and women’s tours. He will remain the top-ranked player and surpass Graf’s record next week.

He plans to play in Dubai next, then could head to Indian Wells by early March, if the mandate has expired or he receives a travel exemption. The BNP Paribas Open starts March 6.

Tommy Haas, a former player and now the tournament director at Indian Wells, has said publicly that it would be “a disgrace” if Djokovic was unable to play at Indian Wells and Miami due to the restrictions.

On Tuesday, during a call with reporters, tennis legend John McEnroe echoed those sentiments, saying, “it would be a damn shame” if Djokovic was unable to come to the U.S.

“I’m saying absurd if he couldn’t play Indian Wells or Miami or any other tournament in the U.S., and especially the U.S. Open,” McEnroe said. “This is a historic time in our sport, obviously, with him and Rafael both at 22. It’s pretty interesting if you ask me.”

McEnroe continued.

“I think it’s a complete joke that he’s not allowed to play. Make a long story short, this has gone on... It’s absurd. They threw him out of Australia last year. I have had my vaccines. I respect that he’s chosen not to do it. I would’ve done it, but that’s a whole other issue. But at this point, or even last year, he played in 2021 and then wasn’t allowed to come in 2022. Someone explain that to me — and now he’s still not permitted to play. I mean, it’s absurd, in my opinion, but we’ll see what happens.”

McEnroe’s brother, former player and tennis commentator Patrick McEnroe, was also on the call. He shared some similar thoughts.

“I hope he does get an exemption,” Patrick McEnroe said. “I hope he can get into the country to play. I mean, I’m no doctor and no expert, but it does seem like we’re sort of past most of the pandemic, knock on wood, at least as far as the rules go in different countries. I mean he’s able to go to any other country to play at this point.

“Certainly, for the good of the sport — for tennis — I think everybody would like to see him be able to play whatever tournaments he wants to play at this point.”

Andrew John covers sports in the Coachella Valley for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: BNP Paribas Open: Novak Djokovic seeks waiver of COVID vaccine rules