Former world number one Novak Djokovic will be granted a visa to compete in the 2023 Australian Open, local media reported on Tuesday, despite the tennis player being deported from that country ahead of this year’s edition in January.
The Australian government decided to grant the Serb a visa for the Grand Slam despite Djokovic not being vaccinated against covid-19, and reversed the decision to ban the player from entering the country for three years.
This year’s edition was even marked by the absence of Djokovic, who won the Australian Open nine times. The Serb was even put on a plane on the eve of the start of the competition after a fierce legal battle.
Djokovic’s three-year suspension could be lifted by the Australian government, now led by centre-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. At the time of the deportation of the Serbs, a conservative coalition was in power.
Over the past month, signs began to emerge that the Australian government might change its mind, but Djokovic had said this Monday night, after the opening game of the ATP Finals, that there was still nothing official. “We are waiting. There are talks with the Australian government. That’s all I can say now,” he explained.
Also in October, Australian Open chief Craig Tiley said he had been with Djokovic and the Serb wanted to return to the country for the first major tournament of 2023, scheduled for January in Melbourne. “Novak and the federal government must resolve the situation. Then we will follow instructions,” he told the newspaper. The age during the official launch of the tournament.
“I spent some time with Novak at the Laver Cup. He said he would love to go back to Australia, of course, but he knows the final decision is for the government. He has accepted that position. It’s a matter between them he added. .
However, the Australian government’s final decision to lift the ban imposed on Djokovic has been criticized by some elements of the opposition. Karen Andrews, who was interior minister when the Serb was deported, said the tennis player should not be given any special treatment.
“It would be a slap in the face to those people in Australia who did the right thing to get vaccinated if Djokovic was suddenly allowed back into the country simply because he is a top tennis player,” he told the radio. ABC🇧🇷
Djokovic arrived in Melbourne in January for the first Grand Slam of the year and claimed he had been given a medical exemption to enter the country unvaccinated as he had recently recovered from Covid-19, but Australian officials said the Serb was not on met the requirements. to be exempt from strict vaccination rules. The tennis player’s visa was subsequently revoked and Djokovic’s appeal failed.
Australia has since lifted the requirement for visitors to show proof of vaccination against Covid-19.
Source: DN
