Tennis: Novak Djokovic set to take part in Australian Open 2023

Serbian Novak Djokovic, here opposed to Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, on November 14, 2022 during the Masters in Turin, Italy.

AP - Antonio Calanni

Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow

3 mins

According to several Australian media, Novak Djokovic will benefit from a visa allowing him to play the next Australian Open, from January 16 to 29, 2023. The Serbian tennis player, record holder of victory in Melbourne, had been expelled from the country at the beginning of 2022, because not vaccinated against Covid-19.

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The Australian Open will see the master of the place return.

If he had missed, for the first time in his career, the first Grand Slam of the year last January, Novak Djokovic will, barring injury or another random factor, take part in the 2023 edition. In any case, his vaccination status will not pose a problem.

Several national media report, this Tuesday, November 15, that the nine-time winner of the Australian Open will be granted a visa by the government, a year after a huge imbroglio which had turned into an affair of state.

Inadmissibility should be lifted

Back to January 4, 2022: the "Djoker", known for his

against Covid-19, announced that he had obtained a waiver allowing him to take part in the 110th Australian Open.

A surprising information because the country, at that time, required that foreign visitors be vaccinated or show a recent positive test.

The days that followed gave rise to a standoff between the Australian authorities and the Djokovic clan, supported by the Serbian government.

The player, who had notably presented a dubious positive test and provided contradictory documents and information, was stuck in a detention center for a few days until, on January 16, he was

.

The clash of January 2022 will obviously not be repeated.

This time, Novak Djokovic's vaccination status is no longer the obstacle to his presence in Australia at the start of 2023, the country having lifted the obligation of proof of vaccination for visitors.

But at the time of his deportation, the current world number 8 had been handed a three-year ban.

Neither the Department of Immigration nor any other authoritative institution has spoken so far, but according to Australian media, including the

channel , this ban should be lifted.

► To read also: Serbia shocked and divided after the expulsion of Novak Djokovic from Australia

The race for Grand Slam records with Nadal relaunched?

The unvaccinated status has largely troubled Novak Djokovic's 2022 season.

Banned from entering the United States and Canada, he missed several major tournaments.

The Serb was notably deprived of the US Open, in August and September.

And although

, he fell in the ATP rankings: the former world number one could not defend his points in several tournaments – including the Australian Open and the US Open – and he did not received no points at the London Grand Slam, sanctioned for refusing the presence of Russian and Belarusian tennis players and women, in retaliation for the war in Ukraine.

This complicated year 2022 also had consequences in the race for records between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

In the absence of the Serb, whose superiority is clear in Melbourne, the Spaniard won in Australia, before bringing his

to 14, with the added bonus of a victory over Djokovic in the quarters.

Nadal now leads the dance with 22 Grand Slam successes, against 21 for "Nole".

There is no doubt that the latter will want to restore the balance in Australia, where he should seek a tenth coronation.

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