Paris, March 11 (BNA) Novak Djokovic will begin his preparations to defend his French Open title next month at the ATP event on clay in Monte Carlo, the Serbian said on his website.
The 20-times Grand Slam winner was unable to defend his Australian Open title in January after being driven out of the country in an uproar after initially entering the tournament despite not being vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The 34-year-old will also miss this month’s ATP 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami, unable to enter the United States without proof of vaccination, the AP said.
A post on his website stated that Novak will open the 2022 season on clay in Monte Carlo, where he won the Masters 1000 twice in 2013 and 2015.
Monaco, where Djokovic is staying, is allowing international travelers to prove they have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months. Djokovic said he tested positive for the virus for the second time in December.
The Monte Carlo Masters from April 10-17 will be the second tournament in the 2022 season for Djokovic, who lost in the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 tournament in Dubai last month.
France eased its COVID-19 restrictions this month as vaccination passports are no longer mandatory from March 14, opening the door for Djokovic to defend his title at Roland Garros. The specialization is scheduled to begin in May.
Djokovic is currently ranked second in the world after losing his first place in the world to Russian Daniil Medvedev last week.
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