No one will emerge the winner from the political-judicial-health imbroglio among the Antipodes that have been in the headlines for twelve days. Neither the Australian government, nor Tennis Australia-the Australian Tennis Federation, accused of exploiting him for political purposes, pointed the finger at him for his agility – let alone Novak Djokovic.
On Sunday, January 16, less than twenty-four hours before the start of the Australian Open (January 17 to 30), His final appeal against the world number one’s second revocation of his visa has been rejected By the Australian courts. His return trip to southern land cost him dearly.
Ousted Novak Djokovic faces a ban of up to three years for entering territory. Suffice it to say one result of his career in a tournament where he is almost at home: a nine-time winner (a record) and a three-time title holder. In a message posted on his social networks on Monday after a judge invalidated the first cancellation of his visa, interested parties had issued his determination : “Despite everything that has happened, I want to stay and try to take part in the Australian Open. I’m focused on that. » All with a photo taken at his favourite playground, where he has been training for the past few days as if nothing had happened.
The Serbian also misses another chance to make history, while a 21e The Grand Slam title finally reached him, allowing his two historic rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to overtake on the clock. Last season, the Serb was a success – Russia’s Daniil Medvedev won the US Open final – from fulfilling that frantic quest to make him the only master of the tennis planet. A coronation that would have seen him at the same time would have meant winning all four major tournaments in a calendar year.
Damage to his image
Not to mention his non-participation in the Australian fortnight will harm him in the rankings: his Dolphins in Melbourne Daniil Medvedev (no 2) and Alexander Zverev (no 3), he can give up his place on the throne at the end of the competition.
But this loss will probably be eventful in terms of the damage to his image. His unresponsive behaviour in the midst of a pandemic and shadowy areas around the circumstances that led the Serbian, against covid-19, to receive his medical exemption from Tennis Australia and the state of Victoria will leave clues in a career already punctuated by controversies.
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