(Tennis news) Former US Open winner Emma Raducanu will feature at the Indian Wells next month after being awarded a wildcard entry. The 20 year old missed the direct cut entry in the women’s draw after her world ranking slipped to 80th but will now feature at the ATP 1000 event. Raducanu hasn’t played professionally since losing to Coco Gauff in the second round of the Australian Open while her countrymen Andy Murray and Cameron Norrie are also expected to feature at the Indian Wells.

Defending champions Taylor Fritz and Iga Swiatek will be competing while 22 Grand Slam winners Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are also on the entry list despite their participation being doubtful. With the USA’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccine requirements, Djokovic will be ineligible as per the country’s laws but the tournament organisers have said that they are doing all they can to ensure that the Serbian is allowed to participate. As for Nadal, the Spaniard has been ruled out for six to eight weeks due to a hip injury but could return in time for the Indian Wells tournament.

Meanwhile, Moroccan tennis player Younes Rachidi has been banned from the sport for life after being found guilty of fixing 135 matches by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which is the highest number of offences by one individual ever detected. Two Algerian players were also found guilty of match-fixing along with Younes Rachidi and were subsequently banned by the ITIA after a collaboration with ITIA in Belgium.

“The case was ruled on by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer Janie Soubliere who found all charges proved, the 135 breaches ‘egregious’ and imposed a fine of $34,000 in addition to the life ban,” the ITIA said in a statement on Thursday. Rachidi’s highest ATP ranking was 473 and is now permanently prohibited from playing in, coaching at or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis.

Also read: Djokovic included in the Indian Wells despite COVID-19 vaccination status