There are growing hopes that Novak Djokovic will be allowed to play at next year’s Australian Open despite being deported from the country back in January.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion was involved in a high-profile legal battle with officials over the legitimacy of his visa due to not being vaccinated against covid-19. Djokovic argued that he had received a medical exemption from Tennis Australia which allowed him into the country but border officials deemed that reason to be insufficient. The tennis star had to stay in an immigration hotel before winning a court hearing which ruled in his favour in regards to how the handling of his visa case was dealt with.
However, he faced a second legal hearing less than a week later which resulted in the court backing the Australian government which decided to deport Djokovic. An action which also results in a three-year ban from entering the country again.
The Daily Mail has reported that it is likely that this ban on Djokovic will be lifted with the help of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who took up the position back in May. It is understood that Albanese is a tennis fan who has contact with Tennis Australia. The Mail suggests that he wants Djokovic to play as his absence could have a negative impact on the tournament.
Furthermore, in a recent interview with Sport Klub, Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley confirmed that his organization is currently working on a resolution which would allow the former world No.1 to play in Melbourne. Djokovic has won the Australian Open a record nine times in his career which is three more than any other male player in history.
“I think we are doing our best,” said Tiley. “Of course, it’s not my decision whether he will be able to play at the Australian Open, but Novak is always welcome, he knows that many people in Australia like to watch him play.
“It is up to others to make a decision, but there is still a lot of time before the Australian Open next year. I think everyone should be enjoying his Wimbledon victory now.”
There are also doubts over Djokovic’s ability to play at the US Open later this year. At present, he is not allowed to enter the country due to being unvaccinated and has recently stated that he has no plans to be vaccinated. His hope now relies on a relaxation in the rules or potentially being given a special exemption to play.
“I’m not vaccinated and I’m not planning to get vaccinated,” Djokovic said on Sunday. “So the only good news I can have is them removing the mandated green vaccine card or whatever you call it to enter [the] United States or exemption. I don’t know. I don’t think exemption is realistically possible. If that is [a] possibility, I don’t know what exemption would be about. I don’t know. I don’t have much answers there.”
After triumphing over Nick Kyrgios in the final at Wimbledon, Djokovic is a major title away from levelling with Rafael Nadal for the most won in history.
