Via Al Jazeera
As we see it today, the first premier Grand Slam tennis tournament has commenced at the Australian Open. From the passionate spectators to the long late-night matches the tournament withholds all the action that a tournament needs. However, the tournament lacks one key element that has given it major significance from the other three majors - the reign of Novak Djokovic! The current world number one and top seed had taken this tournament by storm by winning a nerve-racking nine titles being the only player in the history of tennis in the open era. Winning the latter for the last time in 2021, winning it this year would have resembled another record with that being his tenth overall and fourth consecutive title in Melbourne. Returning from a stellar season in 2021 ending with a shot at the coveted Golden and Grand slam but was unable to do so, nevertheless, he reached four finals and won three which is no easy feat.
The tennis calendar was just on the verge of commencing and players started landing in the city all with hopes to get their hands on the silverware. Novak got off the plane already as a clear favorite to go ahead to win his tenth AO title and 21st Grand Slam which could have potentially put him ahead of his fierce competitors Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. All seemed to be set but Djokovic lost his ability to compete when his visa to enter Australia was canceled which was a big blow to the whole tennis fraternity. Despite being granted a medical exemption to the tournament's COVID-19 vaccine requirement by Tennis Australia, the Australian Border Force confirmed that after being detained at Melbourne Airport for eight hours, Djokovic's visa had been canceled and he would be denied entry to the country due to not meeting exemption criteria to Australia's vaccination requirements. Hence Djokovic sought a judicial review against deportation, but three Federal Court of Australia judges unanimously rejected the review on 16 January, preventing him from defending his title moreover preventing him from playing his adored tournament for a whopping three years!
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