Former world No 1 Novak Djokovic, who is unvaccinated, was deported from Australia earlier this year ahead of the Australian Open; he returned to the court in Dubai but suffered a shock quarter-final loss to Jiri Vesely
Wednesday 9 March 2022 08:21, UK
Novak Djokovic has been added to the Indian Wells draw but the tournament's organisers are uncertain if he will be permitted to enter the US.
The 20-time Grand Slam winner has refused to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine and previously said he was prepared to miss tournaments as a consequence.
Djokovic, who is unvaccinated, was deported from Australia ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year after 11 days following two visa cancellations, two court challenges and five nights at an immigration detention hotel.
Indian Wells organisers wrote on Twitter on Tuesday: "Novak Djokovic is on the tournament entry list, and therefore is placed into the draw today. We are currently in communication with his team.
"However, it has not been determined if he will participate in the event by getting CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) approval to enter the country."
The CDC website as of March 3 indicated that non-US citizens who are not immigrants must show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to travel by air to the US.
The Serb's hopes of playing at the French Open, however, were given a major boost last week with the news France is suspending its vaccination pass this month.
If he is able to play at Indian Wells, Djokovic will receive a first-round bye and then face either David Goffin or Jordan Thompson in the second round.
Elsewhere in the draw, Britain's Andy Murray has been given a wildcard entry and he will face a qualifier in the first round, before potentially meeting world No 33 Alexander Bublik in the second round.
Murray recently pledged to donate his prize money for the rest of the year to help children affected by the war in Ukraine.
The new world No 1, Daniil Medvedev will be chasing his first title at Indian Wells and he will open his account in the second round against Australian Alexei Popyrin or a qualifier.
If matches proceed according to the seedings, then Medvedev's route to the final will be a tricky one.
The world No 1 would face meetings with Gael Monfils in the third round, Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth, Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarters and another match against Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals.
Nadal is likely to have a testing encounter with Sebastian Korda in the second round after a bye in the first. Britain's Dan Evans could await him in the third, if Evans overcomes either Federico Coria or Pablo Cuevas.
Britani's Cameron Norrie is the defending champion and he faces Pedro Martinez or a qualifier in his opening match. Norrie then has a potential meeting with Nikoloz Basilashvili in the third round.
Naomi Osaka, who won Indian Wells in 2018, is returning to the tournament for the first time in three years and has drawn Sloane Stephens in the first round.
The two former US Open champions will face-off in a blockbuster opener, while Britain's Emma Raducanu receives a bye in the first round and will face either Caroline Garcia or Dayana Yastremska in the second round.
Ukrainian refugee Yastremska recently pledged her Lyon Open prize money to her country's aid effort, having fled her home in Odessa following Russia's invasion. Garcia was a semi-finalist at that competition too.
Barbora Krejcikova has been forced to withdraw from the draw due to an elbow injury that has bothered her since the tournament in Qatar.
Alize Cornet moved into Krejcikova's place in the draw and a lucky loser from qualifying will take Cornet's place. World No 1 Ash Barty is another who will not play.
Barty announced her withdrawal from hard court events at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, and the Miami Open in early March citing the fact that her body has not recovered as she would have hoped since the Australian Open.
Leylah Fernandez is likely to have a second round encounter with Amanda Anisimova, if Anisimova beats wildcard Emma Navarro.
Coco Gauff, who will celebrate her 18th birthday at the tournament, has an opening match against Claire Liu or a Viktoriya Tomova and then she could meet Simona Halep in the third round. It would be their first meeting since since Wimbledon in 2019.
Heather Watson faces world No 42 Tereza Martincova in the first round, Katie Boulter meets Jasmine Paolini and Harriet Dart takes on Ana Konjuh.
