Australian Open: Will a Djokovic start become a political issue again?
Should Novak Djokovic be allowed to start at the Australian Open 2023, some Australians would probably not like this decision.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Oct 11, 2022, 11:11 pm
Craig Tiley, the head of Tennis Australia, has hardly explained that he is actually already assuming that all top stars will be at the start at the Australian Open 2023 (if they are fit) when there are cross shots from politics again. Because Tiley naturally included Novak Djokovic in the group of potential starters. Maybe out of a bad conscience. Because the Australian FA's exact role in the farce surrounding Djokovic's non-start earlier this season is still a mystery.
But with Novak Djokovic you can still do politics well. Even if you are no longer active in politics. Like Karen Holmes, former Minister for Home Affairs in Australia.
Exception for Djokovic?
"It would be a slap in the face for those people in Australia who have done the right thing if all of a sudden Novak Djokovic is allowed into our country just because he is a highly ranked tennis player who has made many millions of dollars," he said Holmes in an interview with a Melbourne radio station. "There shouldn't be a separate rule for Novak Djokovic. And a different rule for everyone else.”
The vaccination mandate for entry into Australia was lifted. Apparently, a visa for entry is still decided on a case-by-case basis. Djokovic himself confirmed in the summer that he would like to travel to Australia again despite the unpleasant experiences. At his last start in 2021, the Serb won his ninth title Down Under with a final win against Daniil Medvedev.