Novak Djokovic may well be planning an Indian Wells return, but he'll need to be vaccinated to play.
World No. 1 Djokovic is on the entry list for the BNP Paribas Open, set for March 7–20tj, 2022 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
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The 2022 Australian Open champions—Rafael Nadal and Ashleigh Barty—headline the entry list as well as top-ranked players and American stars looking to make a statement in Tennis Paradise.
The BNP Paribas Open will require valid proof of full vaccination to enter the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for the tournament. For the second consecutive year, the BNP Paribas Open has partnered with CLEAR, the secure identity company, to facilitate the implementation of the venue’s mandatory vaccination policy ahead of the 2022 tournament.
The guidelines for the players are governed by the protocols established by their respective governing bodies, the WTA and ATP, as well as any restrictions established by the United States of America in regard to the vaccination status of international travelers entering the country.
Though Djokovic was unvaccinated when he was deported from Australia last month, his biographer, Daniel Mücksch, believes the 34-year-old Serbian will get vaccinated so he can resume competing on the pro circuit and chase down rival Rafael Nadal's men's record of 21 Grand Slam titles.
"What you hear from his environment, I believe that he can be vaccinated," Mücksch told ServusTV in comments published by Blick. “Perhaps the final in Melbourne also contributed to that. Rafael Nadal's 21 is what drives him, no question about it."
Twenty-time Grand Slam Djokovic said he will make an announcement in the coming days detailing what he experienced in Australia when his visa was twice cancelled.
Three-time champion Nadal (2007, 2009, 2013) will compete at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for the first time since March 2019, as he was unable to participate in the 2021 tournament due to a foot injury. The ATP Tour World No. 5 returns to Tennis Paradise on the heels of an astonishing title run at the Australian Open, where he captured a record-breaking 21st career Grand Slam title. All eyes will be on Nadal in the desert, as the fan-favorite Spaniard will hope to replicate his prior success and claim a fourth Indian Wells title.
Barty, the WTA World No. 1, will seek her first title in the desert after sitting out the tournament’s 2021 edition in October. Barty’s impressive 2021 season included five singles titles and her second career Grand Slam trophy at Wimbledon, and she shows no signs of slowing down in 2022. Barty has won both tournaments she has played in, with a title in Adelaide followed by a historic Grand Slam championship performance at the Australian Open. When she descends on Tennis Paradise, Barty will look to add to her remarkable season-start with a strong showing in the desert.
A power-packed lineup of ATP Top-10 players will join Nadal in looking to put together a breakthrough performance in Tennis Paradise. 2021 US Open champion and 2022 Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev (World No. 2), 2021 Nitto ATP Finals winner Alexander Zverev (World No. 3), and 2021 French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas (World No. 4) will each be in search of their maiden title in the desert. Reigning BNP Paribas Open champion Cameron Norrie (World No. 13) will look to replicate his extraordinary 2021 title run, in which he won his first Masters 1000 crown. World No. 1 and five-time Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic is also on the tournament entry list.
On the women’s side, 2021 BNP Paribas Open champion Paula Badosa (World No. 5) will attempt to continue her climb up the WTA rankings as she returns to the desert just five months after her stunning championship performance in October. Joining her in the women’s draw will be a trio of top-ranked contenders in search of their first-career Indian Wells singles victory: 2021 Madrid Open champion Aryna Sabalenka (World No. 2), 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova (World No. 3) and World No. 4 Karolina Pliskova.
Southern California native Taylor Fritz (World No. 19) will hope to continue riding the positive momentum he garnered throughout a career-best 2021 season that included his first-ever Masters 1000 semifinal here in Tennis Paradise, as well as becoming the No. 1 ranked American male player in the world. Danielle Collins (World No. 11) and Amanda Anisimova (World No. 40) are other Americans to watch in the desert, as their scorching hot starts to 2022 include advancing to the Australian Open final and winning the Gippsland Trophy respectively. They will be joined in Indian Wells by top-30 Americans Jessica Pegula (World No. 16), Reilly Opelka (World No. 23) and John Isner (World No. 26).
Past champions Victoria Azarenka (2012, 2016) and Simona Halep (2015) will also descend on the desert in hopes of adding another BNP Paribas Open title to their respective Tennis Paradise trophy cases. Azarenka, the World No. 18, was the runner-up at the 2021 tournament, showcasing the championship mettle for which she has become known throughout the sport.
Three women’s teenage phenoms; 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez, 19-year-old Emma Raducanu, and 17-year-old Coco Gauff will be making their second-career appearances at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Fernandez and Raducanu catapulted onto the scene with awe-inspiring performances at the 2021 US Open, where they faced off in one of the most unique Grand Slam finals in history. Coming off the heels of an exciting 2021 season that included appearances in the Wimbledon Round of 16 and French Open quarterfinals, Gauff is primed for a career-defining performance in the desert.
The remaining spots in the draws will be filled by the winners of the Qualifying Tournament (March 7 – 9) and wild card recipients, who will be announced in the coming weeks.
The 2022 BNP Paribas Open will welcome players and fans from around the world to Tennis Paradise, highlighting the idyllic and majestic beauty of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. For tickets and more information, please visit BNP Paribas Open.
Photo credit: BNP Paribas Open Facebook