Djokovic withdraws from Indian Wells amid US visa row

Novak Djokovic has formally withdrawn from the draw for the Indian Wells tournament, organisers said in an indication that the world number one’s application for a Covid-19 vaccine waiver to enter the US might have failed.The Serbian, who is one of the most high-profile athletes unvaccinated against the virus, applied to the US government last month for special permission to play at ATP Masters events at Indian Wells and Miami."World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the 2023 BNP Paribas Open. With his withdrawal, Nikoloz Basilashvili moves into the field,” organisers said in a statement.The US currently bars unvaccinated foreigners from entry into the country, a policy that is expected to be lifted when the government ends its Covid-19 emergency declarations on May 11.Djokovic has not competed at the back-to-back ATP Masters events in Indian Wells and Miami, two of the biggest tournaments on the ATP calendar and known as the "Sunshine Double”, since 2019.No one from Djokovic’s team was immediately available to comment on the withdrawal. Last Friday, Florida Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio wrote a letter to US President Joe Biden urging him to grant the waiver request.Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas, the United States Tennis Association and the US Open were among those also hoping the 22-time Grand Slam champion would be allowed to enter.He would have been a heavy favorite to win his sixth Indian Wells title when the tournament kicks off in the Southern California desert tomorrow.Djokovic, who missed last year’s Australian Open due to his vaccination status and was not allowed into the US for last year’s US Open, has said he would skip Grand Slams rather than have a Covid shot. He won his record-tying 22th major championships at the Australian Open in January.Vekic back to winning ways in Monterrey after injury woesDonna Vekic nearly quit tennis amid doubts over her fitness after undergoing knee surgery two years ago, but the Croatian has made a remarkable comeback and captured her first title since 2021 by winning in Monterrey on Sunday.Vekic went under the knife after the 2021 Australian Open and had said at the Melbourne Park major in January that she was in a constant fight to regain her old level after being out for months at a time with knee issues. She won her fourth career title and first since Courmayeur in 2021 after beating top seed Caroline Garcia 6-4 3-6 7-5 in the final in Mexico."It’s been a great start to the year for me,” Vekic said. The Australian Open quarter-finalist said she was sure that she would return to the winners circle at some point this year after reaching the San Diego final in October.Having beaten several top seeds in that tournament, she lost to world number one Iga Swiatek in the final."If the title didn’t come now, I believe it would have come soon. I’ve been playing good tennis and I need to keep working hard and hopefully stay healthy,” the 26-year-old Vekic said."I’m sure I’ll keep having good results.”Victory over world number five Garcia marked the first time Vekic had beaten a top-10 player this year and she rose eight places to number 23 in the world rankings."It was a crazy match until the end, (Garcia) was playing so well, playing so deep,” Vekic said. "I was trying to win as many points as I could. It wasn’t easy, but I’m really happy to win.”Persistence pays off for dogged Alex De MinaurAlex de Minaur has spent much of his career toiling in Nick Kyrgios’s shadow, but is finally grabbing the spotlight in his home country Australia while his flashy compatriot remains sidelined with injury.De Minaur’s triumph at the Mexico Open in Acapulco over the weekend was not only the 24-year-old’s biggest career title but also ensured he has replaced Kyrgios as Australian number one with his boost to 18th in world rankings.Not blessed with killer weapons in his game, De Minaur has nonetheless crafted an increasingly impressive resume with gut-busting running, grit and a never-say-die attitude.Sometimes that’s enough, as American Tommy Paul found out in Acapulco as De Minaur roared back from a set down to claim a 3-6 6-4 6-1 win in the final of the ATP 500 tournament."Like everything in my career, it’s been step by step,” De Minaur said. "I know I might not play unbelievable tennis every day but I know I’m going to fight to the end. I’ve got a whole lot of heart in this little body of mine and I enjoy competing, so I’m very happy with it.”The win was his second from a set down after overhauling Denmark’s rising teen star Holger Rune in the semi-final, a match that finished near 3am.It also made him only the second Australian to win an ATP 500 title in the past 15 years, the other being Kyrgios.