Djokovic will be Back at Australian Open 2023
One year after being barred from entering the nation due to a lack of a Covid vaccine, Novak Djokovic will be granted a visa enabling him to compete in the Australian Open in January. Without providing any information, media reports claimed that the Australian government had made the decision to issue a visa to the Serbian, a record nine-time Australian Open champion.
The Australian Department of Immigration and the Australian Tennis Federation have not yet provided comments on this statement as sought by AFP on Tuesday. Due to Australia’s recent change of government, which saw the conservative coalition in power at the time of the expulsion of the Serb replaced by a center-left cabinet led by Labor Anthony Albanese, the case did appear to be moving in the correct direction in recent weeks.
After spending time with Djokovic last month, Australian Open director Craig Tiley informed him that the player desired to compete in the inaugural Grand Slam of 2023. He expressed a desire to return to Australia but acknowledged that the federal government would have the last say on the matter. Mr. Tiley also took the opportunity to urge the two parties to find a solution.
A three-year ban on Djokovic
After Australia removed the need that visitors to provide proof of vaccination, it was the prohibition on the territory to which it is subject in this country that prohibited the 21 Grand Slams star from attending in Melbourne. Djokovic was certainly ejected and given a three-year entry ban from the country in January of last year after being stopped upon his arrival in Melbourne.
The 35-year-old Serbian champion’s 2022 season was significantly impacted by his decision to forgo the Covid-19 immunization; in addition to the Australian Open in January, he also had to skip the US Open this summer since admittance to the United States was still contingent on the requirement. Djokovic, who lost to Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, had already picked up his game at Wimbledon at the beginning of the summer when he won his 21st Grand Slam championship.
However, this victory did not bring him the slightest point in the world rankings since the Major on grass had been sanctioned by the ATP and the WTA (which respectively manage the male and female professional circuits) for having refused the participation of Russian and Belarusian players. in retaliation for the war in Ukraine. The Serb was able to qualify for the Turin Masters, which gathers the top eight players of the year, despite these obstacles.
Novak Djokovic is among the world’s most famous athletes like Roger Federer, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lebron James, and Lionel Messi. Let’s see if he will start his year with a celebration by winning his 22 grand slam in Australia this January.
