It is safe to say that 2022 hasn’t begun on the brightest note for World No.1 Novak Djokovic. Keen on defending his Australian Open crown, the Serbian has faced a huge roadblock. Ever since his arrival in Melbourne, all hell has broken loose. He has been denied entry into the country, and is still facing visa issues. In the middle of the drama, Novak addressed his fans on social media for the first time since the fiasco began.
Because of his complicated stance regarding the vaccination requirements for the Australian Open, Djokovic arrived in Australia in unusual circumstances. After months of silence, he posted on social media, confirming his participation. However, the mention of a medical exemption left the tennis world divided on his allowance to take part. Since arriving, he has faced difficult situations, with the government not granting him access to go ahead and enter the nation.
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Novak Djokovic speaks out amid Australian Open confusion
Having faced visa issues and denied entry via medical exemption, Djokovic was kept in detention ever since. Along with his team, he is still awaiting word on whether or not he can play the tournament. There has been a huge mix-up between the government and Tennis Australia, who are still figure things out. Meanwhile, the 20-time Slam champion patiently awaits, while reportedly being denied access to his phone in the hotel.
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Taking to Instagram, the Serbian made a much-awaited post for his fans. Although many have gone against the call of allowing him to play, there is a huge supporter base that has stood behind him. Desperate on hearing his status, they finally got word from the man himself.
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He updated on his Instagram story, “Thank you to the people around the world for your continuous support. I can feel it and it is greatly appreciated.”
Djokovic on Instagram … pic.twitter.com/fKvO6bRbrd
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) January 7, 2022
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What will be the next move in this dramatic start to the season? Will Novak play the Australian Open? We can just hope that he and his team are doing okay, and that there is smooth sailing ahead. Let’s wait and watch.
READ MORE: ‘He Is Human’: Nick Kyrgios Implores Tennis Community to Stop Disrespecting Novak Djokovic