Novak Djokovic is in the process of obtaining his work visa which will allow him to participate in the Australian Open, despite the fact that his expulsion from the country was highly publicized last January.
The Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Tuesday confirmed reports circulating in various media about the immigration minister’s decision to reverse a potential three-year debarment period hanging over the Serb’s head.
The Australian Border Force, the equivalent of the Canada Border Services Agency, had previously indicated that an exclusion period could be overturned under certain conditions — and that each case was dealt with on its merits.
The office of Immigration Minister Andrew Giles declined to comment on the situation under the right to privacy, which means that information about obtaining a visa for Djokovic will have to come from the tennis star’s camp. 35 years.
The holder of 21 career Grand Slam titles was unable to defend his Australian Open title last January after a 10-day legal saga surrounding his COVID-19 vaccination status. This culminated in the revocation of the Serbian’s visa the day before the start of the tournament, leading to his expulsion from the country.
Djokovic told the ATP Finals in Italy on Monday that his lawyers were in contact with the Australian government to allow him to play at the Australian Open, January 16-29, 2023.
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