Craig Tiley is optimistic about Novak Djokovic returning for subsequent 12 months’s Australian Open however has dominated out in search of any favours from authorities officers who will decide the Serb’s destiny.
Djokovic is serving an computerized three-year ban from Australia after being dramatically deported on the eve of this 12 months’s Open for making an attempt to enter the nation whereas not vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19.
While the vaccine mandate is not an impediment for the previous world No.1, Djokovic’s legal professionals are nonetheless making an attempt to have his visa ban overturned.
“Nothing official yet. We are waiting. They are communicating with the government of Australia. That’s all I can tell you for now,” Djokovic instructed reporters after successful his opening match on the ATP Finals in Turin on Monday evening.
Some Australian news retailers on Tuesday evening have been reporting Immigration Minister Andrew Giles had already overturned the ban, however Tennis Australia mentioned it had not heard of any such growth.
With Wednesday marking two months earlier than the 2023 Open will get underway in Melbourne, the uncertainty is hardly ideally suited however Tiley is hopeful tennis followers – and Djokovic – won’t should endure a re-run of this 12 months’s cleaning soap opera.
Tiley, although, is adamant he won’t get entangled because the ‘will he or will not he’ saga rages on.
“There’s a normal visa application process that everyone is going through right now, and everyone will go through the right timing,” Tiley instructed AAP.
“I don’t think there should be any preferential treatment for anyone.
“But I totally anticipate to have a solution for everybody by the point that they should guide their flights and are available in, together with Novak.
“That’s entirely up to the Australian government. I know Novak wants to come and play and to get back to competing.
“He loves Australia and it is the place he is had the very best success however the timing (on any announcement) is as much as any individual else and we’ll simply play that one by ear.”
Tiley was caught in the middle of last summer’s firestorm, breaking the news to the nine-time champion that he had secured a medical exemption to play at Melbourne Park, only for the then-immigration minister Alex Hawke to personally intervene and boot Djokovic out of Australia.
Despite the fiasco, Tiley says Djokovic bears no hard feelings towards him.
“It’s humorous, I’ve spoken to Novak a number of occasions. We caught up and spent a while collectively in London and he is nice. Our relationship is okay,” Tiley mentioned.
“He performed the Laver Cup and it was very nice to have the ability to spend some non-public time with him.
“He understands the circumstances and everything but he’s got to work it out with the federal government. I’m confident they’ll reach some arrangement and hopefully it’s positive.
“But I do not know that. That’s actually between he and the feds. But the circumstances have modified considerably from the place they have been a 12 months in the past and I’d wish to have Novak right here.
“I want to have all the best players in the world here.”
