“Novak Djokovic could play at the 2023 Australian Open” says Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley
Follow Us
Novak Djokovic
Just after a week after his deportation from the 2022 Australian Open, Novak Djokovic continues to be in discussion about his participation at the Australian Open. Given his current deportation, Djokovic has been banned from entering the country for the next 3 years for his decision to remain unvaccinated against Covid-19.
Despite having the medical exemption, Djokovic was detained at the airport and after winning the initial appeal and then losing the second appeal on the eve of Day-1 of the 2022 Australian Open, Djokovic was ordered to leave the country and was informed that he cannot enter Australia for 3 years.
The government however announced shortly after that the Serbian might be allowed back next year as granting and revoking visa ban remains the power of the government and if they feel next year that unvaccinated person can be allowed into the country, they might allow him back.
Speaking on this entire issue, the CEO of Tennis Australia and the Tournament Director of the Australian Open, Craig Tiley discussed the issue in a recent media interaction. “Obviously, he’s got to play out this year, but that will be his intention. At the end of the day, he’s the number one player in the world and he really loves the Australian Open,” said Tiley to media outlet ABC.
“There was a lot of contradiction and complexity with information. Even just in the past week since (the ruling), things have changed in relation to the response to the pandemic. We were at the beginning of Omicron and that’s why we were constantly seeking clarity, and there was a lot of complexity and contradiction of information before, after and it continues to be all the way through,” added Tiley blaming ‘miscommunication’ and ‘forever-changing conditions’ as the reason for the whole saga.
Novak Djokovic on a vacation, no comments on his next tournament
Djokovic was recently pictured on a vacation after his return to Belgrade following the deportation. Djokovic posed with fans but was seen without wearing a mask despite being unvaccinated, the very thing that resulted in him losing his title without any defence in Australia and could also be the case at the upcoming 2022 French Open and the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.
Djokovic’s next tournament remains a question as the Serbian has made no such comments about his plan for the season and with many countries making vaccination compulsory, it will be a real wait-and-watch situation to know when will the World No. 1 will be back in action.
Stay Updated!
Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)