Djokovic announced on Tuesday he received an exemption to play in the Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne and said he was heading to Australia.
World number one Novak Djokovic said on Tuesday he would defend his Australian Open title at Melbourne Park later this month after receiving a medical exemption from getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
The 33-year-old, a record eight-time winner on the Melbourne Park Arena, slipped during the third set of Friday's third-round match against Taylor Fritz and disappeared off Rod Laver Arena for treatment.
The 34-year-old played no part in his country's ATP Cup campaign, which ended in a 2-0 semi-final defeat at the hands of Italy on Saturday.
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley confirmed on Wednesday that the 2008 champion will receive a wildcard entry into the main singles draw for the tournament, which starts in Melbourne on January 20.
The six-time champion's agent said he will continue to work his way back to fitness from two knee operations.
Former champion Justine Henin, who said last month she was making a return to top-level tennis, has been granted a wildcard for the 2010 Australian Open, organisers said on Monday.
In the email, the WTA said it wanted to "clear up false and misleading information" about the conditions players would face at the Australian Open.
Players will compete for A$450,000 (249,624) in the series, with matches taking place at closed stadiums and under strict biosecurity protocols in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
Tiley denies reports Djokovic will sue Tennis Australia
It has been 24 days since Victoria reported a locally acquired COVID-19 infection, while Australia as a whole posted a 13th straight day without a community case on Saturday.
"(Novak) has said that he views this as a private matter for him. We would love to see Novak here, he knows that he'll have to be vaccinated to play here."
Serena Williams made her first public appearance since the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia in September, at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York City.
A blue plexicushion centre court at Rod Laver Arena was the centrepiece of the Australian Open 2008 launch.
Lleyton Hewitt has long been a critic of the Rebound Ace surface used at Melbourne Park.
When you can travel globally is when tennis can come back, from a pro level. From a local level, we can start right away and that's what we would be focused on at the beginning, says Tennis Australia head Craig Tiley.
Twice Grand Slam champion Hewitt said last month that he had banned Tomic from playing in the Davis Cup and cut all ties with the player after receiving physical threats against himself and his family from his compatriot, including blackmail.
Players in the men's draw at the Australian Open will be allowed 10-minute breaks during matches as part of an updated extreme heat policy at the year's first Grand Slam.
Victoria is undergoing a second lockdown and has nearly 8,000 active COVID-19 cases, while NSW has about 800.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams are among a number of players who will feature in an exhibition match ahead of this month's Australian Open to raise funds for bushfire relief efforts, organisers announced on Wednesday. All funds raised from the two-and-a-half hour event on January 15 at Rod Laver Arena -- called AO Rally for Relief -- will be donated to the relief cause with tickets priced at A$54 ($37.09).
Smoke-induced interruptions likely at season's first grand slam.
Nadal plays Berrettini in one semifinal, knowing he's potentially two match wins from a 21st major title.
Tennis Australia Chief Executive Craig Tiley confirmed in an email to players that authorities had agreed to allow players to train during two weeks of strict quarantine.
COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria also said in a statement that the one case of the virus acquired overseas reported on Sunday was not connected to the tennis Grand Slam.
'... at times when I see the aftermath of things, I do tend to ask myself if I should just sit back and enjoy my benefits instead of paying attention to other people's struggles.'
'Is he serious? It's a selfish political move to gain popularity.'
Images from Day 5 of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Friday.
Organisers have been criticised by players attempting to make the main draw of the season opening Grand Slam for continuing to play matches despite the poor air quality from bushfires.
Officials said he was one of a 'handful' of successful applicants among 26 people who sought exemptions.
Some players and pundits have criticised the rule as being hard to police, spottily enforced and highly subjective, and called for the ban on coaching from the players' box to be lifted.
'We're absolutely confident the Australian Open will go ahead'
Unlike the United States and European countries, which are battling to contain the virus, Australia has not had a case of community transmission for 11 straight days and residents have regained most of their pre-COVID freedoms.
Next year's Australian Open could be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and even if the first Grand Slam of 2021 goes ahead fans from abroad will not be able to attend, Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley said on Wednesday. The tennis season was halted in early March due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 3.68 million people around the world while killing over 256,000 so far.
Australian Nick Kyrgios has put his hand up to help the victims of raging bushfires in his country by promising a $200 donation for every ace he serves during the home summer season. More than 1,000 homes have been destroyed by the fires fuelled by searing temperatures and high winds, with Kyrgios' hometown of Canberra experiencing its worst air quality and residents have been told to stay indoors.
Health authorities in Victoria state have now reported nine infections among passengers that arrived in Melbourne on charter flights for the February 8-21 Australian Open.
Forty-seven players and their entourages have to isolate for two weeks in their hotel rooms in Melbourne and are no longer able to leave them to train after infections were reported on two chartered flights carrying them to Melbourne.
The positive cases were recorded after the charter flight from Los Angeles landed in Melbourne for the tennis Grand Slam, according to online posts from players.
As Grand Slam governing bodies ponder over the perfect blueprint of future events amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, Australian world number 40 Nick Kyrgios has said he does not want to play in a major in the absence of crowd. The tennis season was suspended in March due to the pandemic and the shutdown will continue at least until mid-July with countries closing borders and going into lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.
Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka will join Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in playing a pre-Australian Open warm-up exhibition
The Australian Open has joined Wimbledon in introducing a final set tiebreak from next year's competition, following the "most extensive" consultation in the event's history, tournament director Craig Tiley said on Friday.
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