Novak Djokovic has the potential to finish the year as the world’s top-ranked player, but it would be a “disgrace” if his chances were hindered by his inability to compete in the United States due to his unvaccinated status, according to Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas.
Last year, Djokovic missed the Australian Open and was deported due to his unvaccinated status against COVID-19.
However, his three-year visa ban was overturned in November, allowing him to return to the Grand Slam, where he is aiming for his 10th crown and 22nd major title.
Despite this, Djokovic was unable to travel to New York for the 2022 US Open because of the vaccination requirement. This same rule also kept him from participating in ATP 1000 events at Indian Wells and Miami earlier in the year.
US authorities have announced that the vaccination requirement for foreign air travelers will remain in effect until at least April 10, meaning Djokovic will miss Indian Wells and Miami again. Haas, a former world number two player, expressed hope that the rules would be relaxed sooner to allow Djokovic to compete.
“If Djokovic stays healthy, I don’t see how he’s not going to be number one,” Haas told reporters at Melbourne Park on Monday. “The one problem is that he still cannot come to the US. If he doesn’t play Indian Wells and Miami in March, it will be tough. They’re supposed to lift those mandates by mid-April.
“It would be nice to see if we could maybe lift those a little earlier and have him come to play Indian Wells and Miami. I think he wants to play, so we should give him the chance. Hopefully, we can have him there. It would be a disgrace in my eyes if he wasn’t coming to these events, or not allowed to come.”
Haas added that Indian Wells organizers would do “everything” to support Djokovic’s chances of playing in the tournament. Indian Wells is scheduled from March 8-19, and the Miami Open from March 22-April 2. Djokovic, 35, has previously stated that he would rather miss Grand Slams than get a COVID vaccine.