Australian Open hopes for strong finish after Djokovic debacle

MELBOURNE : Deported from Melbourne last Sunday, Novak Djokovic has since visited a monastery in Montenegro where he appeared at peace with his absence from the Australian Open.

But the furore sparked by the world number one's arrival to his deportation on the eve of his title defence still simmers despite the action switching from law courts to hardcourts. 

The second week of the Australian Open is set to begin and organisers will hope an administrative version of a tennis adage rings true.

You cannot win a Grand Slam in the first week, but you can certainly lose one.

The pre-tournament volatility amplified historic concerns about the major’s vulnerability but Tennis Australia (TA) hope a stirring and secure second week will put the Djokovic debacle behind them.

TA declined to comment to Reuters on its handling of the Djokovic issue but tournament director Craig Tiley on Sunday blamed "forever-changing conditions" and "miscommunication" with the government for the saga in an interview with state broadcaster ABC.

The “Happy Slam” branding has been tarnished, though several players including men's third seed Alex Zverev have firmly backed Tiley and the tournament.

This is despite a hat-trick of horrors in recent years, starting with the smoke haze that engulfed the 2020 tournament and the quarantine debacle that unfolded last February.

Twice in the past four years, reports of players mulling boycotts have overshadowed the Australian Open, most recently when onerous COVID-19 quarantine protocols were in place for 2021.

Tour officials were asked to leave a players meeting in 2018 as Djokovic raised concerns about the percentage of prize-money on offer relative to tournament revenue.

Supporters of Djokovic, including American player