Tennis Australia won’t lobby government to help Novak Djokovic play Australian Open

Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley says he will not lobby the federal government on Novak Djokovic’s behalf to try to help him into the country for January’s Australian Open.

He also revealed on Wednesday that TA has engaged external immigration specialists to help deal with the high number of visa applications expected from foreign players and their entourages for the first grand slam of 2023.

Djovokic is subject to a three-year ban from entering Australia, imposed by former immigration minister Alex Hawke because of his Covid-19 vaccination status. He was deported before this year’s tournament on the basis his presence as a “talisman of anti-vaccination sentiment” might risk “civil unrest”.

However, the 21-time major champion can apply for an exemption from Hawke’s Labor successor, Andrew Giles, and Djokovic said last month he was waiting for “positive news” from Australian authorities.

It is a prospect that former home affairs minister Karen Andrews this week said would be a “slap in the face” for vaccinated Australians.

Tiley was heavily criticised in January over Tennis Australia’s role in allowing Djokovic to fly to Melbourne under the belief that a medical exemption approved by the governing body and a Victorian government independent expert panel would be sufficient to enter Australia.

This time around, he said he would have no involvement in the fate of the nine-time Australian Open winner, who was also barred from entering this year’s US Open.

“What we’re saying at this point is that Novak and the federal government need to work out the situation, and then we’ll follow any instruction after that,” Tiley said at Wednesday’s Australian Open launch.

“I did spend some time with Novak at the Laver Cup. We spoke