Djokovic gets visa to play in Aus Open ’23
Novak Djokovic will be able to bid for a recordextending 10th men’s singles title at next year’s Australian Open after being granted a visa to travel to the tournament. The 35-year-old was deported on the eve of this year’s tournament in Melbourne after he arrived in the country without being vaccinated against Covid-19. Djokovic, who is still unvaccinated, confirmed on Wednesday that he had now been given clearance to compete. “I was very happy to receive the news yesterday,” Djokovic, whose deportation dominated the build-up to this year’s Australian Open, told reporters after his victory over Andrey Rublev at the ATP Finals in Turin. “It was a relief obviously knowing what I and people closest to me in my life have been through this year” Djokovic, the former world number one who has 21 Grand Slam titles, was originally barred from the country until 2025 but that decision has now been reversed.
TURIN: Novak Djokovic confirmed on Wednesday he has received a visa to travel to Melbourne to play in the 2023 Australian Open, after he was deported last January over his vaccine status.
“I was very happy to receive the news yesterday. It was a relief,” the Serbian said after beating Andrey Rublev in the ATP Finals in Turin.
On Tuesday Australian media reported that the government had decided to grant the unvaccinated Serbian a visa, overturning a three-year ban after his ejection from the country.
This year’s championship was overshadowed by nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic being put on a plane on the eve of the contest after a high-stakes legal battle over his visa status.
Australia have lifted the requirement for visitors to show proof of Covid vaccination, and the three-year ban can be overturned at the discretion of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left government, which is different to the conservative coalition in power when he was kicked out.
Straight sets win
Djokovic was speaking after securing a spot in the semi-finals of the season-ending Finals with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Rublev, his second straight sets victory in as many matches.
Having beaten Stefanos Tsitsipas in his first Red Group match on Monday, the Serb is guaranteed a spot in the last four regardless of his result on Friday against Daniil Medvedev.
After the first nine games went with serve, Djokovic switched on the afterburners to outclass Rublev.
Rublev capitulated when serving to stay in the opener, losing the set as Djokovic thumped a backhand return winner.
The second set was a nonevent as five-time champion Djokovic roared to victory in little more than an hour. “I played one of my best matches of the year. I found the right attitude and the right game and once I won the first set his energy went down,” he said.