The Australian Open is slated to start in one and a half weeks, and, still, it鈥檚 anybody鈥檚 guess as to whether World Number One Novak Djokovic can suit up. He wants to, of course, and not simply because he鈥檚 aiming to break a tie with longtime rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the most number of major championships. The first stop on the Grand Slam rota just so happens to be where he has been most successful; it has provided nine of his 20 titles in the sport鈥檚 holy grails. Unfortunately, stringent health and safety protocols have put into question his capacity to compete in the country.
Make no mistake. Australian Open organizers are going out of their way to help Djokovic. He鈥檚 a top draw, and their dream matchup is one that pits him and Nadal in the men鈥檚 singles final. The problem is his vaccination status, and how it restricts his mobility. There鈥檚 a reason he鈥檚 doing all the requisite preparations in Belgrade, Serbia, and Marbella, Spain, and not in Melbourne, Australia, and it鈥檚 not because he wants to make his work harder. Even as other hopefuls are already arriving in Victoria state, he鈥檚 still unable to book a chartered flight in the face of a standing ban on the acceptance of unvaccinated visitors.
At this point, Djokovic鈥檚 only hope is a medical exemption, for which he seems to have applied. Details remain sketchy, but Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley鈥檚 most recent pronouncements seem to indicate that a resolution is imminent. The official has noted that such an exemption for tennis players 鈥渋s far more rigorous than anyone [else] coming to Australia鈥 There are two medical panels that assess any application, and they assess it in a blind way. They don鈥檛 know who the applicant is.鈥
Which is to say Djokovic鈥檚 fate depends on unknown quarters. If it鈥檚 any consolation, some players are said to have been given the very dispensation he鈥檚 seeking. Given the process, however it鈥檚 a small mercy. And if he鈥檚 ultimately unable to trek to Melbourne Park, he has no one to turn to but himself for the answers.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since 大象传媒 introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
