US say no to Novak’s entry

World number one Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells this week after failing to secure special permission to enter the United States.

Only international visitors vaccinated against Covid-19 are currently allowed into the US and the Serb has refused to have any of the available jabs.

The restrictions are due to end next month, and Djokovic had hoped an exception would be made but, with the tournament beginning tomorrow, he has now admitted defeat.

It is the second year in a row Djokovic has missed the tournament, one of the biggest on

Cambridge rower Seb Benzecry predicts the absence of Olympians in this year’s Boat Race will pull the 194-year-old British tradition back to its ‘pure’ varsity roots.

Last year’s edition boasted 13 athletes who had been to a the ATP Tour, and he is also set to sit out the Miami Open later this month. The 35-year-old, who won a 22nd grand slam title at the Australian Open in January, had received backing from the US Open and United States Tennis Association.

Djokovic’s opposition to being vaccinated resulted in him missing six significant tournaments last season, including the Australian Open and US Open. Having suffered a first defeat of the season to Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the ATP event in Dubai last week, he is set to return to action at the Monte-Carlo

Masters on April 9.

Games, while the upcoming event on March 26 will feature none.

“It’s a real battle between students who just love the sport and have dedicated a huge amount of time to it over the years,” said Benzecry, “It’s a very pure kind of contest.”