BELGRADE (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic is hoping to be allowed to play at the Australian Open next year despite being kicked out of the country over his vaccination status in January, the Serbian told state television RTS on Monday.
Djokovic won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles in 2021 but was unable to defend his Melbourne Park crown due to his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
He lost his French Open title after going out to eventual champion Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals this year but retained his Wimbledon crown on Sunday.
The 21-times major champion cannot currently enter the U.S. without being vaccinated against COVID, while his deportation from Australia carried with it a three-year re-entry ban.
Australia scrapped a rule that required international travelers to declare their COVID vaccination status last week.
Then Prime Minister Scott Morrison said when Djokovic was removed from Australia in January that his re-entry ban could be waived “in the right circumstances”.
After finishing 2021 one major short of a rare calendar-year Grand Slam, Djokovic’s season has not panned out as he would have envisaged after missing the Australian Open and losing to Nadal at Roland Garros.
However, the 35-year-old has won the last four editions of Wimbledon in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022, with the 2020 tournament canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is now one Grand Slam title behind record holder Nadal, who has won 22 majors.