After the federal government reversed his visa suspension, Novak Djokovic is again eligible to compete at the Australian Open in 2023. The Serbian, who is now competing in the ATP Finals, was deported just before the 2022 Australian Open began and had his visa revoked “for the public good.”
Djokovic’s automatic three-year ban will be overturned, according to sources close to Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, who is quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald. Director of the Australian Open Craig Tiley had earlier on Tuesday stated that he was still awaiting a judgment but did not anticipate the player to receive “preferential treatment.”
“There’s a normal visa application process that everyone is going through right now, and everyone will go through the right timing,” Tiley told AAP.
“I don’t think there should be any preferential treatment for anyone. But I fully expect to have an answer for everyone by the time they need to book their flights and come in, including Djokovic.
That’s entirely up to the Australian government. I know Novak wants to come and play and get back to competing.
“He loves Australia and it’s where he’s had the best success but the timing [on any announcement] is up to somebody else and we’ll just play that one by ear.”
Visa is finally provided despite Djokovic not being vaccinated against Covid
Despite the fact that Djokovic is not protected against Covid-19, which sparked the January issue ahead of the year’s first Grand Slam, Australian visa regulations now indicate that you do not require documentation of a Covid-19 vaccination to enter or exit the country.
Then-immigration minister Alex Hawke had revoked Djokovic’s visa ten months prior, calling the athlete a “talisman of anti-vaccination sentiment” and warning that there may be “public disturbance” if he were let to remain and compete.
Djokovic went on to elaborate on his position on Covid in a February interview with the BBC. “I was never against vaccination,” he said. “I understand that globally, everyone is trying to put a big effort into handling this virus and seeing, hopefully, an end soon to this virus.
“Vaccination is probably the biggest effort. I fully respect that. But I’ve always supported the freedom to choose what you put into your body. For me that is essential, it’s really the principle of understanding what is right and what is wrong for you.
“As an elite professional athlete, I’ve always carefully reviewed and assessed everything that comes in from supplements, food, water, anything that comes into my body as fuel. Based on all the information that I got, I decided against the vaccine.”
Djokovic has won the Australian Open for a record 9 times.