Novak Djokovic hopes to receive a warm welcome from the public at the Australian Open tennis, a Grand Slam tournament which he has won nine times, which he “likes to play” and where the former world No. 1 will return in January after skipped the 2022 Edition.
“After what happened last year, I hope that I will be properly received and that this will help me play my best tennis,” the Serb told reporters in Dubai on Friday. The current number 5 in the world had missed the last edition of the Australian Open after being expelled from the country due to his vaccination status, at the end of a hyper-mediatized political-judicial saga.
Not vaccinated against Covid-19, he had tried to return to the territory with an exemption in the end refused, and had been expelled shortly before the start of the tournament after spending several days in a migrant center. He had also been struck with a three-year ineligibility.
Vaccination requirement lifted in Australia
But the vaccination requirement has since been lifted in Australia and the Serb has been granted a visa. His ban on entering the territory was lifted at the same time, in November. “In the past, I’ve always had the chance to start my years in Australia very well and I like playing here,” said Djokovic.
The one who had started the year as the world number 1 regressed in 2022 in the rankings, having been unable to play two Grand Slam tournaments, the Australian Open and the US Open, his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid- 19 after having closed the doors of these two countries to him.
Despite everything he managed to win the Wimbledon tournament during an eventful season for him, which he concluded with a bang by winning the Masters 1000 in Paris-Bercy and then the Masters in Turin. “I wish I could play as long as possible,” Djoko said later when asked about his future.
“I don’t actually have a number in mind. Things are going quite well for me so far. I can’t complain. So as long as I play at this level, as long as I have fire, I will continue,” the Serbian continued.
In the event of a tenth Australian Open title, he will equal the record for most Grand Slam titles currently held by Spaniard Rafael Nadal alone, with 22 lifts.
