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The world primary will reportedly be again on court docket three weeks after the Australian Open finishes
Exiled Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic seems to have agreed when his aggressive return to tennis will likely be – and he seems to be more likely to try and carry a fifth title at a event he skipped when the pandemic began.
Thwarted Djokovic was pressured to go away Australia hours earlier than the beginning of his protection of his Melbourne title after Australian Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke succeeded in a second try and cancel the Serb celebrity’s visa.
Whereas all of the discuss has been round whether or not Djokovic will likely be banned from Australia for 3 years underneath border guidelines enforced by Scott Morrison’s authorities, probably the most feared participant on the circuit has purportedly already been capable of stay up for a swift return to motion.
Djokovic is alleged to be able to return in Dubai, the place he flew to on a flight that was probably the most tracked on the planet on the time after leaving Australia escorted by safety personnel following a court docket ruling over his medical exemption.
The 34-year-old had arrived in Australia on the understanding {that a} optimistic Covid check in December 2019 would entitle him to be freely allowed in with out being vaccinated in opposition to the virus.
His professed pleasure at having the ability to compete with out the remedy turned to despair as he headed for the lengthy flight to the nation the place he has reportedly been entered for the ATP 500 event.
The frustration Djokovic will really feel at not that includes within the Australian Open last could possibly be tempered by the prospect of being again in motion at a showpiece that begins little greater than three weeks later, on February 21.
Organizers are but to verify the male lineup for the occasion, which presents a complete prize fund of virtually $1.9 million and a payday of virtually $150,000 for the champion, in line with Excellent Tennis.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion gained when he final competed on the event, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas, who was additionally on the middle of a vaccine row involving the Greek authorities on the top of the pandemic, within the 2019 last.
Russian Aslan Karatsev, who Djokovic beat within the Australian Open semifinals in 2021, gained in Dubai in the identical yr as a part of a meteoric surge up the rankings.
Karatsev will likely be seeded seventh in a star-studded listing of gamers headed by Djokovic, tennis knowledgeable Michal Samulski has stated.
Andrey Rublev, the Russian world quantity six, would be the second seed forward of Felix Auger Aliassime, who faces world quantity two Daniil Medvedev within the Australian Open quarterfinals.
A tennis source in the Middle East claimed the official announcement of Djokovic’s participation can be made on Tuesday night, pitting him in opposition to seven different male gamers within the prime 20.
9 of the world’s prime ten-ranked girls will participate on the hotel-based event, operating till February 26 2022.
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