Novak Djokovic withdrew Wednesday from the BNP Paribas Open on the eve of the event, saying he cannot travel to the United States because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19.
Djokovic, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, cited regulations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the reason for his inability to play. The U.S. has been requiring foreign visitors to be vaccinated to enter the country.
Djokovic also will miss the Miami Open, which gets underway later this month. Both tournaments are Masters 1000-level events.
“While I was automatically listed in the [BNP Paribas Open] and [the Miami Open], I knew it would be unlikely I’d be able to travel,” Djokovic said in a tweet Wednesday. “The CDC has confirmed that regulations won’t be changing so I won’t be able to play in the US.”
In an additional message on his Instagram story, Djokovic said: “As international…
