The Serbian, who refused to be vaccinated against the COVVI-19, had been expelled and sentenced to an entry ban on the Australian territory of three years in January.
Le Monde with AFP
The Australian government has decided to grant a visa to Novak Djokovic allowing it to participate in the Australian Open in January, a year after its expulsion from the country linked to its lack of vaccination against the COVID, have Reported Tuesday, November 15, the ABC television channel and other media, without other details.
The case seemed on the right track in recent weeks, thanks to the change of government in Australia, the conservative coalition in power at the time of the expulsion of the Serbian having been replaced since by a center -left cabinet Led by Labor Anthony Albanese.
While he is currently competing in the Masters ATP in Turin (Italy), the ex-numéro a World Cup, victorious nine times from the Australian Open, was still cautious on Monday. “There is still nothing official. We are waiting. [My lawyers] chat with the Australian government, that’s all I can say at the moment,” said the Serb. p>
Last month, the director of the Australian Open, Craig Tiley, told him that he had spent time with Mr. Djokovic and assured that the player wanted to play the first Grand Chelem of 2023. “He said that ‘He would obviously like to return to Australia, but he knows that the final decision will return to the federal government, “the manager said to the Australian newspaper The Age. Mr. Tiley also took the opportunity to urge both parties to find a solution. “What we say at this stage is that Novak and the federal government must settle the situation. We will follow any instruction [fixed] after that,” he commented.
a 2022 tormented season
It is no longer his status of non -vaccinated which prevented the presence in Melbourne of the star at twenty -one Grand Slam titles, Australia having raised the obligation for visitors to present evidence of vaccination, but the prohibition of territory which it is the subject of in this country. Last January, after being selected when he arrived in Melbourne, Djokovic had indeed been expelled and sentenced to an entry ban on the three -year territory, after an intense legal battle.
The refusal to vaccinate against the COVVI-19 has greatly upset the 2022 season of the 35-year-old Serbian champion. In addition to the Australian Open in January, he had to give up this summer at the US Open, entry to the United States remaining subject to the vaccination obligation. Beaten in the quarter-finals at Roland-Garros by Rafael Nadal, Djokovic had previously picked up his march in Wimbledon, at the beginning of summer, where he won his 21 e major tournament.
This victory had not, however, reported to him in the world classification since the Gazon tournament had been sanctioned by ATP and the WTA (which respectively manage the professional and female professional circuits) for refusing the players of the players Russians and Belarusses, in response to the war in Ukraine led by Moscow and supported by Minsk.
Despite these pitfalls, the Serb managed to qualify for the Masters of Turin, which brings together the eight best players of the season. On Monday, he won his first meeting against Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas. Novak Djokovic must play his next match on Wednesday against Russian Andrey Rublev.