Serbia’s Novak Djokovic.| Photo Credit: AFP

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the upcoming BNP Paribas Open, having misplaced his bid to enter the United States unvaccinated to play within the Southern California occasion.

The match introduced his withdrawal on Sunday night time. Play within the mixed ATP-WTA occasion begins Wednesday at Indian Wells Tennis Garden and runs by March 19.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., mentioned on Twitter that Homeland Security had rejected Djokovic's vaccine waiver request, which might have allowed him to play back-to-back at Indian Wells and Miami, which runs March 19-April 2.

The U.S. is ending its COVID-19 emergency declaration on May 11, which is able to permit international air vacationers to enter the county with out being vaccinated.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion misplaced within the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Friday.

With Djokovic out, Nikoloz Basilashvili moved into the Indian Wells draw.