Djokovic arrives in Australia without the threat of deportation
Novak Djokovic made a low-key arrival in Australia and should receive a warm welcome from tennis fans almost a year on from his deportation drama, according to grand slam boss Craig Tiley.
Tiley, tournament director at the Australian Open, said he was confident the public would respond positively to the 21-time major winner who was thrown out of the country before the Melbourne Park event early this year.
In January this year, Australian's then immigration minister Alex Hawke determined Djokovic should be removed from the country "on health and good order grounds" and "in the public interest".
Djokovic had been granted a medical exemption to enter Australia, despite not being vaccinated, only for border officials to block him upon his arrival, setting in motion a saga that dominated the lead-up to the championship.
There had been concerns Djokovic would be banned from the country for the next three years, as that is the punishment that usually comes with a deportation order, but instead he has been welcomed back.
Australia's border entry rules changed in July, with travellers no longer obliged to provide evidence of vaccination status.
On Tuesday, Tiley said Djokovic had arrived in Adelaide, with local media also reporting he had quietly entered the country.
The Australian Open begins on January 16, with Djokovic due to compete in the first of two Adelaide International tournaments before then, from January 1-8.
Djokovic was kept in a detention centre on his arrival last year but this time the 35-year-old Serbian can expect all the trappings that come with his status as an all-time tennis great.
"He finished 2022 playing the best tennis, he does want to get to equalling the current record held by Rafa," said Tiley at a press conference.
"He has a goal to be the greatest of all time."
Djokovic has nine Australian Open men's singles titles, the most of any player.
Should he scoop another he would move alongside Rafael Nadal on 22 grand slam titles, the most singles majors won by a man.
Nadal won the Australian Open in Djokovic's absence last year.
Tiley thinks Djokovic has achieved enough in his career for last January's sorry soap opera to be set aside.
"I have a great deal of confidence in the Australian public," he said.
"We're a very well-educated sporting public, particularly those who come to the tennis, they love their tennis, they love seeing greatness, they love seeing great athleticism, great matches.
"And I have a lot of confidence that the fans will react like we hope they would react and have respect for that."
Before his journey Down Under, Djokovic had said: "I'm just glad to have a chance to start there.
"After obviously what happened earlier this year, hopefully, I can have a decent reception there, and that can help me play some good tennis."
