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Novak Djokovic hopes a decision is made imminently on whether he can compete at the 2023 Australian Open and revealed there are ‘unofficial positive signs’ over a return to his most successful Grand Slam. The Serbian’s presence in Australia next January remains in doubt after he was kicked out of the country last year in a dramatic story that gripped the sport.
Djokovic was forced to leave Melbourne after entering for last year’s tournament due to not being vaccinated against COVID-19. He was banned from re-entering the country by the Australian government until 2025 and his vaccination status also meant he was unable to compete in this year’s US Open at Flushing Meadows.
But 21-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic still has hopes of winning an incredible tenth Australian Open crown in three months time and is anxiously waiting on whether his ban is waived and he can obtain a visa. The 35-year-old is desperate to find out if he can compete so that he can prepare for another tilt at glory Down Under.
“When it comes to Australia, there are some positive signs, but unofficially,” Djokovic told Sportal. “We are communicating through my lawyers in Australia. In fact, they are communicating with the authorities in charge of my case.
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But he still managed to claim his fourth straight Wimbledon title in July amid the disruptions, and is adamant that he won’t dwell on last year’s events in Australia. “I always strive to draw positive things from whatever the experience is, that is part of my character and my approach to life,” he added.
“I know that everything that happened in Australia and afterwards – the way people have treated me, which did not feel nice and it is something I have never experienced before in my life – has helped me to learn some valuable lessons. Lessons about myself, about life and about the way I should move on in this world, especially in the tennis ecosystem.”
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