The Serbian will play from Sunday in Adelaide and two weeks later he will seek his tenth title in the first Grand Slam of the season.
Serbian tennis player Novak Djokc, former number one in the world, returned this Tuesday to Australia almost a year after starring in a long legal soap opera that ended in his deportation as a result of his firm refusal to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.
“He will be the player to beat”estimated this Tuesday the director of the Australian Open, Craig Tileycoinciding with the day of Nole’s return to the oceanic country. “We welcome you to Australia,” added the patron of the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, which will be played between January 16 and 29 in Melbourne.
“I think that by the time we speak, he lands in Adelaide and I think he’s going to be the player to beat again.”concluded Tiley. The Australian Tennis Federation confirmed shortly after that the Serb had landed in the country.
As part of his preparation for the Australian Open, Djokovic, currently number five in the world, will play the Adelaide tournament starting on Sunday.
The Serb was unable to participate in the 2022 edition of the Australian Open after being expelled from the country for not being vaccinated against Covid-19. He had tried to enter the country with a repeal that was finally rejected and was expelled just before the start of the tournament, after spending several days in a migrant detention center and appealing to the courts.
He was also punished then with a ban on entry to Australian territory for three years.
Since then, the obligation to be vaccinated to enter Australia was lifted and Djokovic, 35, obtained his visa after the ban on access to the country was also lifted in November.
Absentcurrent number 5 in the world ranking and winner of five titles in 2022 -including Wimbledon-, appears as one of the great favorites to win the Australian Open, a tournament in which he won nine times.
“In the past I always had the opportunity to start my years in Australia very strong and I like to play there.”recalled the man who has won 21 Grand Slam titles in Dubai on Friday.
“After what happened last year I hope to be properly received and that this will help me play my best tennis,” he added.
Djokovic started 2022 as world number one but then he fell in the ranking. He was unable to play two Grand Slam tournaments last season, as his refusal to get vaccinated also prevented him from being at the US Open.
He did finish the last season in great form, winning the Masters 1000 in Paris-Bercy and, above all, the Masters at the end of the season in Turin (Italy).
In case of achieving a tenth title at the Australian Open, he will equal the record for number of Grand Slam titles, currently set at 22 by the Spanish Rafael Nadal.
Fuente: AFP
