After lacking the 2022 Australian Open attributable to his unvaccinated standing, Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic will have the ability to take part in 2023. Djokovic will probably be granted a visa to enter the nation, the Australian authorities confirmed on Wednesday
Australian immigration minister Andrew Giles has chosen to overturn the choice to ban Djokovic for 3 years, which occurred when he was deported previous to the 2022 Australian Open. In an announcement to the Associated Press, Giles confirmed that Djokovic would get a brief visa to enter Australia.
Djokovic additionally launched an announcement on the choice, and the Serbian tennis star mentioned he was relieved to seek out out that he might play in subsequent yr’s event, which can start on Jan. 16.
“I used to be very completely satisfied to obtain the information yesterday,” Djokovic mentioned. “It was a reduction, clearly, figuring out what I and the folks closest to me in my life have been by this yr with what occurred in Australia and post-Australia. Australian Open has been my most profitable Grand Slam. I made among the finest reminiscences there. Of course, I wish to return there, I wish to play tennis, do what I do finest, hopefully have an amazing Australian summer season.”
At the time of Djokovic’s authentic ban, former immigration minister Alex Hawke selected to cancel Djokovic’s visa as a result of permitting him to play whereas unvaccinated might trigger “civil unrest.” Since then, the nation has lifted its requirement that each one guests should be vaccinated.
In October, Australian Open director Craig Tiley mentioned that Djokovic could be “welcome” on the occasion in 2023, so long as the federal government authorised his visa.
“At this level, Novak and the federal authorities must work out the scenario after which we’ll comply with any instruction after that,” Tiley mentioned. “It’s not a matter we will foyer on. It’s a matter that undoubtedly stays between the 2 of them after which relying on the result of that we might welcome him to the Australian Open.”
Djokovic received the Australian Open in 2021 — his ninth title in Melbourne, however he was not in a position to defend his title in 2022. Instead, Rafael Nadal received the event for the second time in his profession.
While he wasn’t in a position to play within the Australian Open or the US Open in 2022, Djokovic was eligible to play within the French Open and Wimbledon, and he fared fairly properly in each tournaments. Djokovic misplaced to Nadal within the quarterfinals of the French Open, and he received his seventh Wimbledon title.
