Novak Djokovic's 2023 Australian Open Participation Still Uncertain

Lawn Tennis, Tennis Magazine, Lawn Tennis Magazine, ATP London Finals, Roger Federer

Novak Djokovic's 2023 Australian Open Participation Still Uncertain
By Burton Vanderfliet, Lawn Tennis Analyst, Posted: Friday, October 14, 2022 10:12am PST USA

Melbourne-- The four time defending Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia, who was deported from Australia in January following a dispute regarding his Covid 19 non vaccination status does not yet know if he will be allowed to play in tennis' first grand slam of the new year in January, the Australian Open in Melbourne.

As a result of his deportation, Djokovic is also banned from entering Australia until 2025.

The Australian Open tennis tournament, nor the professional tennis tours have no power in the matter as it is a decision to be made if an exemption will be given to Djokovic to compete by the Australian government.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia

As a result of his deportation, Novak Djokovic is also banned from entering Australia until 2025.

In January, the 35 year old then ranked number one Djokovic posted on his social media that he'd been granted a medical exemption to compete at the Australian Open.

However upon entering the country, he was detained at a hotel near the Melbourne airport.

Djokovic's visa was canceled then reinstated after his attorneys appealed.

However soon afterwards, it was canceled a second time by the Immigration Minister Alex Hawke shortly before Djokovic was seen leaving the country at the airport after being deported.

Djokovic is currently ranked number seven, largely due to his losing 2,000 rankings points at Wimbledon despite retaining his title from 2021.

Due to Wimbledon's ban this year of Russian and Belarussian tennis players in light of the war in Ukraine which was caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and aided by Belarus, the tournament's tennis players were awarded no rankings points this year by the professional tennis tours.

However Djokovic who is 33-6 in 2022 rebound from struggles earlier this year to win his last nine matches after winning titles in Tel Aviv and Astana.

Djokovic has won the Australian Open nine times with his last Melbourne title in 2021.

Djokovic also missed the US Open in August because his vaccination status prevented him from entering the United States. The Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley says Djokvoic will be welcome to compete should the Australian government decide to wave Djokovic's current ban from entering the country.

However many Australian citizens oppose lifting Djokovic's ban and have commented it would be like a "slap in the face" for Australians who have been vaccinated for Covid 19.