Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic will make his return to the Australian Open, almost a year after his visa was suspended due to his views on COVID-19 immunization.
Next week, the 21-time grand slam winner will play the Adelaide International 1, as Australian authorities agreed to lift Djokovic's three-year entry ban.
In January, Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic was deported from Australia after former immigration minister Alex Hawke decided the athlete posed a threat to public health and order because, as a public figure, his public opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccination might encourage anti-vaxxers, according to CNN.
Since the minister decided to deport the former men's world number one player, he was first given a three-year reentry prohibition.
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley stated Monday, "We will welcome him back to Australia."
Tiley believes that the Australians will warmly welcome Novak Djokovic, for they are avid tennis fans and among the most educated people in the world. He added that Australian sports fans get excited to witness great athletes perform.
"They love seeing great athleticism, and great matches," Tiley noted.
Djokovic Says He Will Never Forget Deportation
Several months after the controversial incident, Novak Djokovic admitted that he will never get over being deported from Australia.
"You can't forget those events," Djokovic said, adding that he thinks such moments will remain in the Tennis superstar's memory for the rest of his life.
Novak Djokovic noted that it was a happening that he never experienced before and "hopefully never will again." But he believes that it was a "priceless" learning opportunity for him.
"I have to move on. Coming back to Australia speaks how I feel about this country, how I feel about playing here," he said, per ATP Tour.
Djokovic remarked that his decision to return to Australia shows how much he enjoys the country and his desire to represent his nation of Serbia in international tournaments.
He added that he always wanted to return to Australia and perform there since he had achieved lots of professional success there. He won nine of his 21 titles at the Australian Open, which makes it one of his favorite Grand Slam tournaments.
What he also loves about the Australian Open is the people's love for sports, especially tennis. "It's a sporty country."
Expect the Best Performance
In the coming tournament, Novak Djokovic has set his mind on the prize. "The goal is to peak in Melbourne. That's where I want to play my best."
The tennis icon further reiterated that he wants to add another major tournament victory to the incredible list of accomplishments in his career and his legacy in the sport, as per a BBC story.
Though, he admitted that winning the Australian Open is not a walk in the park. That is why he is doing all the necessary stuff to give himself the right amount of motivation to give his best performance in every game.
Djokovic's immediate priority is to have a successful start to the year in Adelaide and it seems he is counting on his past victories to fuel his performance next week. On Thursday, he viewed video footage of his victory in the city in 2007 after defeating Australian Chris Guccione.
"Hopefully we're going to have a lot of people watching and we can have some good time," Novak Djokovic said.
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