Tennis Australia boss, Craig Tiley has claimed Novak Djokovic could play in the 2023 Australian Open despite being banned from the country for three years.
But Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is insisting the world No.1 would not be welcome unless he was vaccinated.
Tiley said he was confident the Serbian superstar would be back next year to reclaim his title despite his deportation.
‘At the end of the day he’s the number one player in the world and he loves the Australian Open,’ he said during an appearance on ABC News Breakfast on Sunday.
‘I think he’s got to play out this year but that will be his intention.’
Djokovic was deported out of Australia last Sunday having failed in his appeal against being deported after an explosive saga that saw his visa revoked by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke over concerns of the player’s opinions on Covid vaccinations.
Mr. Hawke decided that allowing the world number one to compete could invite ‘civil unrest’ and branded him a ‘talisman of anti-vaccination sentiment’.
