How did Djokovic "beat" Australia?

How did Djokovic "beat" Australia?

The first Grand Slam of the season is held from January 17 to 30, and the best tennis player in the world will defend the trophy won last year, but also try to reach the record 10th cup in Melbourne.

This would also set a new record for the number of titles won in total in the biggest tournaments, as Novak currently owns 20 of them, just like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

There has been uncertainty for a long time about whether Djokovic will go to Melbourne, where the state of Victoria does not allow the arrival of people who have not been vaccinated against coronavirus.

Novak, as someone who declared himself against the vaccination at the beginning of the pandemic, still managed to "beat" the laws of the state and will participate in his favorite Grand Slam. He got that opportunity thanks to the medical exemption, which was announced to be given to certain players.4

The announcements were made by the director of the tournament, Craig Tiley, in mid-December, but since then he has been firm on an almost daily basis and transferred the "ball" to Djokovic in the sense that he would have to decide whether to be vaccinated or not.

"We are working closely with the Victoria government to establish fair and independent protocols for medical exemption and this will allow us to have an Australian Open that is safe and enjoyed by all. The process will be led by independent experts and each player's case will be considered," Tiley said. Just two days ago, Tiley spoke out again about Novak's case.

"As for Novak's status, I think we will get an outcome in the next few days. Otherwise, it will soon be too late to show up and play at the Australian Open. There is very little time left," Tiley said.

The case was handled by a three-member medical commission, but there were no indications that Djokovic had submitted a request to enter the exemption process. It was necessary to pass the initial phase, then the second on the commission determined by the Government of Victoria, before the application is submitted to the Australian Immunization Registry. Everyone is guaranteed that their privacy will be protected, without announcing whether the players have been vaccinated or not.

And then came the surprise, certainly positive for Serbian fans, when Novak announced himself this morning and confirmed that he had been given the opportunity to play. "I enjoyed being with my family and loved ones, I took a break from a very long and successful 2021 season. Now I'm moving to Australia because I got an exemption and I'm ready to live and breathe tennis for the next few weeks of competition. Thank you all for your support" , Djokovic wrote on Instagram.

Novak's PR team confirmed to us that the first racket of the world spent the previous few days in Marbella, where he was isolated and trained while waiting to get a permit.

As he obtained exemption permission, another attempt on writing history will follow, which obviously makes Djokovic happy, along with his numerous supporters.