The absence of Novak Djokovic in the ongoing US Open because of his no-vaccination stance has caused quite a controversy in the tennis fraternity with supporters and even politicians in the US slamming the decision to not allow the Serbian star.
Now, speculation is rife over whether the 35-year-old would be able to participate in Australian Open 2023, especially after what had happened Down Under earlier this year when Djokovic had to return empty-handed after Australia refused to allow him to play without taking the Covid-19 shot.
But in what would give Djokovic's supporters a glimmer of hope, the tennis maestro is expected to compete in the upcoming Australian Open, according to Craig Tiley, the chief executive officer of Tennis Australia, the governing body that looks after the sport in that country, reports said.
Earlier this year, Australia's immigration law dictated that once he was deported from Down Under, Djokovic could not be granted another visa for three years. But there is also a provision that the ban would be waived on special grounds.
Former Australia prime minister Scott Morrison had also confirmed the same during an interview with the country's 2GB radio. He said that there is an opportunity for somebody like Djokovic to return "in the light circumstances, and that will be considered at the time".
Journalist Luis Alfredo Alvarez, who works for ESPN Deportes, said in a tweet in Spanish that he heard directly from Tiley that Djokovic "surely" will play the Australian Open next year.
Djokovic has won 21 Grand Slam titles and might have missed a few more tennis crowns already over his stance of not taking the coronavirus vaccine which saw organisers of a few tournaments barring him from taking part, such as the Cincinnati Open besides the Grand Slam events in Australia and the US.
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Rescue personnel provide medical treatment to a child at an army rescue camp in Trishuli Batar, Nepal, on August 27, 2026. A sudden flood swept through the Bhote Koshi River basin in northern Rasuwa on August 26, damaging settlements, roads and energy infrastructure, as rescue teams searched for residents and foreign travellers reported out of contact. Hundreds were reported missing as the death toll began to climb. Getty Ima
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