SYDNEY, Australia – Novak Djokovic, inadmissible to date, will benefit from a visa allowing him to participate in January at the Australian Open (January 16-29), a year after his expulsion from the country linked to his lack of vaccination against COVID, national media reported on Tuesday.
The Australian government has decided to grant a visa to the Serbian, who has won the Australian Open nine times – a record –, the television channel said. ABC and other media, unspecified.
Requested on Tuesday by theAFPthe Australian Department of Immigration and the Australian Tennis Federation have yet to comment on the announcement.
But the case did indeed seem to be on the right track in recent weeks, thanks to the change of government in Australia – the conservative coalition in power at the time of the Serb’s expulsion having since been replaced by a centre-left cabinet. led by Labor Anthony Albanese.
While he is currently playing in the ATP Finals in Turin (Italy), the former world No. 1 was still cautious on Monday.
“There is nothing official yet. We are waiting. They (his lawyers) are talking to the Australian government, that’s all I can say at the moment,” the Serb said.
Last month, Australian Open director Craig Tiley told him that he had spent time with Djokovic and assured that the player wanted to play the first Grand Slam of 2023.
“He said he would obviously like to come back to Australia, but he knows the final decision will be up to the federal government,” the official told the Australian newspaper. The Age. “He accepted this position. It’s a private matter between them. »
Mr. Tiley also took the opportunity to urge the two parties to find a solution.
“What we’re saying at this point is that Novak and the feds need to fix the situation. We will follow any instruction after that,” he commented.
Three year ban
It was no longer the status of unvaccinated which prevented the star’s presence in Melbourne at the 21 Grand Slams – Australia having lifted the obligation for visitors to present proof of vaccination – but the inadmissibility to which it is subject in this country.
Last January, after being detained on his arrival in Melbourne, Djokovic had indeed been expelled and sentenced to a three-year ban on entering the territory, after an intense legal battle.
The lifting of this ban is at the discretion of the government of Anthony Albanese.
The refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19 largely upset the 2022 season of the 35-year-old Serbian champion: in addition to the Australian Open in January, he had to give up the United States Open this summer, the entry into the States States remaining subject to the vaccination obligation.
Beaten in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros by Rafael Nadal, Djokovic had previously resumed his march forward at Wimbledon, at the start of the summer, where he won his 21st Grand Slam title.
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.
Despite these pitfalls, the Serb managed to qualify for the Turin Masters, which brings together the eight best players of the season.
On Monday, he won his first meeting against the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (no 3) 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Djokovic is due to play his next game on Wednesday against Russian Andrey Rublev.
