There are still three months until the Australian Open, and these days it is already becoming apparent: The question of whether Novak Djokovic will be allowed to enter Melbourne in January to take part in the first Grand Slam tournament of the 2023 season is picking up speed again. The Serb was the first to speak out, who understandably expressed his desire to compete in the event that he won nine times and missed last January because he was ultimately refused entry by court order because he was not vaccinated against Corona. The verdict contained the customary ban on entering the country for three years.
Djokovic’s request was of course forwarded to the Australian Open Tournament Director, but this time Craig Tiley was well advised not to outline a loophole for vaccine refusers as he did a year ago when trying to push through exemptions. He now referred to politics.
Opposition force Karen Andrews, Home Secretary at the time of Djokovic’s deportation in January, pressed ahead and said: “It would be a slap in the face for the people of Australia if Novak Djokovic was suddenly allowed back into the country just because he is a senior tennis player.” The positions have been clarified, except for the most important one: How does the Australian government think?
Anthony Albanese of the Australian Labor Party has been Prime Minister since May. Various reports indicated that the 59-year-old sympathizes with tennis and is keen not to let the Djokovic case escalate again as it did at the beginning of the year, when Scott Morrison, 54, from the Liberal Party of Australia was still Prime Minister hard course pushed through. At that time there was an election campaign.
A new species of beetle is now called “Duvalius Djokovic”
Djokovic’s hope of now being able to fight for his 22nd Grand Slam title, which would see him level with Spaniard Rafael Nadal, is justified. Since July, unvaccinated people have been receiving visas for Australia again. There is also a way for him to try to have the temporary entry ban overridden, and it is his right to go that way. As an immigration lawyer confirmed to the Associated Press, Djokovic would only have to explain his circumstances and ask for the ban to be lifted.
The Australian border protection agency, which examines every objection, may not be impressed by Djokovic’s prominence, which recently led to a researcher naming a species of beetle discovered in Serbia “Duvalius Djokovic”. In any case, Djokovic can rightly point to respecting the laws of every country he enters as a world traveller. He has also accepted being barred from entering New York in September, which caused him to miss the US Open. The court’s argument that Djokovic’s presence would endanger Australian security is also unlikely to hold up a second time. It already looked questionable in January. Djokovic can still play tennis. He hasn’t played much lately, but has won Wimbledon and Rome, and just won his 89th and 90th titles, in Tel Aviv and Astana. Of course, it would help everyone involved not to have to make a last-minute decision again. Three months go by quickly.