Novak Djokovic is eager to play at the Australian Open but it's up to him to "work out the situation" with the government, tournament chief Craig Tiley said Wednesday, while confirming Russian and Belarusians can compete as neutrals.
This year's championship was overshadowed by an unvaccinated Djokovic being deported from Australia on the eve of the Grand Slam after a high-stakes legal battle over his visa status.
The nine-time champion from Serbia is currently serving a three-year ban from entering Australia. It can be overturned at the discretion of the centre-left government, which is different to the conservative coalition in power when he was kicked out.
But they have given no indication on whether they would consider this. Tiley said he spent time with Djokovic recently and the Serbian wanted to return for the first major of the year in January in Melbourne. "What we're saying at this point is that Novak and the federal government need to work out the situation.