Novak Djokovic is returning to Australia, the tennis boss says

Former world number one Novak Djokovic was due to return to Australia on Tuesday, almost a year after he was deported for refusing a Covid-19 vaccination, the country’s tennis boss said.

Nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic was initially banned from the country for three years after losing a high-stakes legal battle over his vaccine testing earlier this year.

Australia has since removed its requirement for visitors to show proof of vaccination against the Covid virus.

The government confirmed in November that the unvaccinated Serb was no longer banned and that he had been granted a visa to play in the Australian Open next January.

Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said he hoped local fans would welcome Djokovic’s return.

We welcome him back to Australia, he told reporters.

I think he’ll land in Adelaide and I think he’ll be the player to beat again.

I have great confidence in the Australian public. I trust that the fans will react the way we hope they will.

Djokovic, who has won 21 Grand Slam titles, has been condemned for his part in the saga, which has seen anti-vaccination protests in Australia’s biggest cities.

He is due to play at the Adelaide International from Sunday as he warms up for the Melbourne Open.

“Over the years I’ve been really lucky to start very strongly in Australia and I love playing there,” the world number five said in Dubai last week after sealing a record sixth ATP Tour Finals crown in 2022.

After what obviously happened earlier this year, hopefully I’ll get a decent reception there and hopefully that will help me play good tennis.

Djokovic last arrived in Melbourne in January for the first Grand Slam of the year, claiming he had been medically cleared to enter Australia without vaccination because he had recently recovered from Covid-19.

However, Australian border officials said he did not meet requirements for an exemption from strict vaccination rules and he was detained for five days as he pursued an ultimately fruitless legal appeal.