Tiley hints at good news for Djokovic, ‘all the top players’ set for Australian Open
After this year’s chaos, one big name could finally return to Melbourne
Novak Djokovic in Tel Aviv (AI/Reuters/Panoramic)
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has dropped a big hint that he hopes to have nine-time champion Novak Djokovic in the field in Melbourne come January 2023.
The former world No 1 was deported before the 2022 edition, which would normally mean a three-year ban from returning to the country.
But Tiley has suggested that he hopes to have Djokovic there.
“We are on track to have all the top players back,” he said on Wednesday during a Melbourne Victory luncheon.
He also said that the political situation had changed in the country since Djokovic’s efforts to enter unvaccinated, with a new government in power.
Tiley added: “We are at a different point in time now than we were nine months ago and I think it’s a very different environment with people travelling freely around the world and we hope to have all the best players here in January.”
Djokovic had attempted to travel to Australia in January 2022 under an exemption to their rules about vaccination. Despite legal wranglings, his visa was ultimately revoked and he was deported from the country.
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