Madrid Masters chief would 'welcome' Novak Djokovic, but admits decision is out of his hands

Madrid Masters tournament director Feliciano Lopez says Novak Djokovic will be 'welcomed' to play the event but admits it is out of his control.

Djokovic's sechedule for the season is being severely disrupted by his stubborn refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

It has already seen him deported from Australia and unable to defend his Australian Open title, and he has since lost the world number one spot to Daniil Medvedev.

Feliciano Lopez is still playing on the ATP Tour but also runs the Madrid Masters and, after he won the Acapulco doubles with Stefano Tsitsipas last week, he was quizzed about Djokovic's chances of playing in the Spanish capital this season.

"I've been getting asked about this a lot lately," Lopez said.

"After what happened in Australia it seems that the main problem is knowing where Novak [Djokovic] will be able to be and where he will be able to play.

"In the end, we as a tournament do not have the power to decide who can go and who cannot."

Lopez went on to stress that whatever the decision, the most important thing is clarity for the players, with Djokovic ultimately a victim of confusion in Australia.

"The message that was sent from Australia or interpreted by many people was very confusing.

"It was not known if Djokovic had been allowed in, who had let him in.

"The tournament? The country? People do not enter the countries because of what the tennis tournaments say but because of the laws that exist at that time, which are not imposed by a tournament or a federation.

"I hope that in the month of May Spain will be as it is now, that the Covid continues to decline, that my country is fine, that people stop dying, that everything goes better and that the restrictions are minimal or there are none.

"[I hope] that everyone can enter freely and that is what we want and what we expect.

"In that case, Novak will be welcome like all players."