Novak Djokovic included in the Indian Wells draw, but his participation is unlikely

Novak Djokovic was included in the men's singles draw for the 2022 Indian Wells Masters as speculation continues to rage over his participation.

Given the vaccine mandate present in the United States, his withdrawal from the tournament was initially considered a foregone conclusion. However, Djokovic remained on the entry list and did not provide any updates with regards to his arrival in the US.

According to ATP rules, until an official statement of withdrawal is provided, a player will retain his position in the draw if he's on the entry list.

The Indian Wells tournament organizers recently posted an update on the matter, stating that they're in touch with the Serb's team, but his participation remains uncertain.

"Novak Djokovic is on the tournament entry list, and therefore is placed into the draw today. We are currently in communication with his team; however, it has not been determined if he will participate in the event by getting CDC approval to enter the country. We will provide updates in the future as we learn more," organizers said in a statement.

Djokovic is a five-time champion at the Indian Wells Masters, winning his most recent title in 2016.

He was involved in a high-profile visa saga during the Australian Open that ultimately resulted in his deporation from the country. It remains to be seen if the former World No. 1 will be able to compete in the California desert or if he ends up in another controversial situation.

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Novak Djokovic has competed in only 1 tournament this year

Djokovic in action at the 2022 Dubai Tennis Championships.

After being on the sidelines for the entire the Australian swing, Djokovic played his first tournament of the season at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

He started off strongly, defeating Lorenzo Musetti and Karen Khachanov in straight sets. However, the Serb was upset by Jiri Vesely in the quarterfinals. As a result, Djokovic lost the World No. 1 ranking to Daniil Medvedev.

His schedule for the rest of the season remains uncertain, as plenty of countries have continued to enforce vaccine mandates.

But some countries are starting to relax their rules, opening up the possibility for Djokovic to compete in future tournaments. The French government recently announced its decision to get rid of vaccination passes. Thus, the World No. 2 will likely be able to participate in the Monte-Carlo Masters next month and defend his French Open title as well.