Novak Djokovic is out of another tournament because he's unvaccinated as future Grand Slams loom

• Novak Djokovic will not compete at the BNP Paribas Open in California because he's not vaccinated.
• Djokovic tweeted that he cannot enter the US according to CDC guidelines.

Novak Djokovic is out of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19.

The tournament organizers announced that Djokovic had withdrawn on Wednesday.

Djokovic also confirmed it in a tweet, writing that CDC guidelines have not changed, so he cannot enter the country.

According to the CDC, non-US citizens must be fully vaccinated to enter the country.

Djokovic was not allowed to play in the Australian Open because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19. He had attempted to file for an exemption, leading to a chaotic detainment in Australia and a court ruling that ultimately went against him and forced him out of the country.

There was a belief that Djokovic might also miss the French Open in May as France also required athletes to be vaccinated to enter the country. However, France recently relaxed those rules, potentially allowing Djokovic to play at Roland-Garros.

There are also questions over whether Djokovic will play the US Open in September if he is unvaccinated. It's unclear if US policy will change by then, as many cities and states have begun relaxing their COVID policies.

Djokovic told the BBC in February that missing slams because he is unvaccinated is a" price that I'm willing to pay," confirming that he had no plans to get the vaccine.

Djokovic recently slipped from the world No. 1 ranking after losing at the Dubai Tennis Championships. Djokovic had been ranked at No. 1 since February 2020.