Novak Djokovic already knows Australian Open withdrawal deadline as authorities intervene

Novak Djokovic is waiting to hear if the federal government will lift his three-year ban on returning to Australia in time for the Australian Open in January. The tournament has confirmed that they will not push for his return, with the Serbian's fate firmly in the hands of the government, and Djokovic is well aware of the six-week deadline for the entry list for the first Major of 2023. /p>

Djokovic hopes he will be allowed to compete at the 2023 Australian Open after being banned from the country until 2025 following his automatic expulsion earlier this year. Craig Tiley - tournament director and boss of Tennis Australia - has confirmed that they will not lobby the government over Djokovic's ban as the decision is up to them and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles. /p>

But the nine-time Down Under champion is hoping to get an answer before December, with all tournaments - including the Australian Open - having an entry list deadline six weeks before the first day of play. the world No. 7 should withdraw from the tournament if a decision is made against him after this deadline.

"We'd like to welcome Novak - he's a nine-time champion," Tiley said at the 2023 Australian Open kickoff on Wednesday. While Tennis Australia was not involved in the matter after arranging a medical exemption for Djokovic to enter the country unvaccinated this year, Tiley said the government would "ideally" make a decision before the list deadline. registered.

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He added, "There's a December entry deadline for the Australian Open, so obviously they'll have to meet that deadline." The situation will look like deja vu for Tiley and Tennis Australia after months of speculation over whether Djokovic would play the Australian Open 2022 as an unvaccinated player when the jab was mandatory for all entering. in the country.

The 21-time Major champion arrived in Melbourne in January with a medical exemption received from Tennis Australia on the grounds that he contracted Covid in December 2021 but his visa was revoked and has been kept in a hotel quarantine of the government. He successfully appealed, but his visa was canceled a second time by the Minister of Immigration at the time and failed in his second appeal, being deported on the eve of the tournament.

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