Djokovic ‘can’t forget’ Australian deportation
The Serb is getting ready for the 2023 Australian Open one year after being kicked out of the country for refusing to be vaccinated against Covid19.
The race for the most Grand Slam titles goes on. Former No. 1 Novak Djokovic is back in Australia to play one of his favorite tournaments one year after his deportation for not being Covid19 vaccinated and a punishment that included a three-year ban from returning to Australia.
However, the country lifted its requirement for visitors to show proof of vaccination status and the government confirmed last month that Nole was no longer barred.
Although Djokovic is now allowed to feature in the first Grand Slam tournament of the calendar, he admitted that it was an experience that he will never forget.
“You can’t forget those events, it’s one of those things that stick with you. It stays with you for the rest of your life”, he told reporters.
“It’s something I’ve never experienced before and hopefully never again, but it is a valuable life experience for me. But I have to move on and coming back to Australia speaks about how I feel about this country and how I feel about playing here”, he added.
A bulletproof love story with Melbourne
Nole, 35, will be looking to win his 10th Australian Open title in 2023, where he has played some of the best tennis of his career. If he wins the trophy, he will tie Rafa Nadal with 22 Grand Slam titles.
The climate, the court surface, and the atmosphere have been very special for the Serb maestro for a long time, and it won’t be any different this time despite the deportation episode.
“I really look forward to playing there. It’s been my favorite Grand Slam; the results prove that”, he stated.
“Generally in Australia, people love tennis, love sports and it’s a sporting nation so hopefully we’re going to have a lot of people watching and we can have a good time”, said Nole, who has a 42-7 win-loss record this season.