Novak Djokovic still wants to defend his Australian Open title – but time is running out for the Serbian to get permission to travel Down Under in time to prepare for the tournament.
The first Grand Slam of 2022 is set to begin on January 17 and, as it stands, Djokovic is in the field set to take part.
However, whether or not the Serbian will be able to even enter the country is still up in the air – as is his vaccination status.
The Victorian government has strict rules over who can and cannot travel, with those who have not been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 requiring a special medical exemption to enter the state.
Djokovic has, on several occasions, refused to reveal his vaccination status, citing medical privacy for his decision not to answer questions on that subject.
He was scheduled to represent Serbia at the ATP Cup, which begins on January 1 in Melbourne.
But he has since pulled out of the competition, having yet to be seen Down Under.
His Serbia team-mate Dusan Lajovic said the 20-time Grand Slam champion was disappointed not to be able to take part in that competition, but is still hopeful of being allowed to travel for the Australian Open.
"Unfortunately he’s not able to come here but he was I think hoping, same as we did, that somehow he will be here. Unfortunately he’s not, and we’ve got to deal with it," Lajovic told reporters.
"He just said that he’s not coming to the ATP (Cup) and trying to get to Australian Open."
Despite relaying those thoughts, Lajovic was unable to confirm whether Djokovic would definitely be able to take part in the first major of 2022.
Many players have already begun arriving in Australia, so they can complete quarantine periods and get settled in ahead of the tournament.
Defending women's champion Naomi Osaka was one of the first to be pictured arriving, and is likely to be a strong contender in that side of the draw.
Meanwhile, Briton Andy Murray has also been seen practising at Melbourne Park, having been forced to miss this competition last year after testing positive for Covid.
As the Omicron variant continues to spread across the world, it seems unlikely that the competition will not be affected by the virus at some point.
French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has already tested positive for the virus upon her arrival in Australia, and now must self-isolate before she can properly prepare for the tournament.
