Unvaccinated Novak Djokovic says he ‘won’t be able to play in the U.S.’

Novak Djokovic said that he will not be able to compete at tennis tournaments in Indian Wells, California, or Miami because he is unvaccinated and can’t travel to the United States.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion tweeted Wednesday that the Centers for Disease Control “confirmed the regulations won’t be changing so I won’t be able to play in the U.S.”

Djokovic has been able to play in only one tournament so far in 2022 because he has not received any shots to protect against COVID-19. He was deported from Australia in January and was not allowed to try to defend his title at Melbourne Park.

Rafael Nadal wound up winning the Australian Open for his 21st major trophy, breaking a tie with Djokovic and Roger Federer for the most claimed by a man in the history of tennis.

Djokovic’s name was put in the draw for the BNP Paribas Open in California on Tuesday, even though the United States requires foreign visitors to be vaccinated to enter the country. In addition, the tournament had previously announced that everyone on-site at Indian Wells would need to be fully inoculated.

“While I was automatically listed in the @BNPPARIBASOPEN and @MiamiOpen draw,” Djokovic wrote Wednesday, “I knew it would be unlikely I’d be able to travel.”