Todd Woodbridge has hailed the looming return of Novak Djokovic to the Australian Open as “the best scenario” following the federal government’s resolution to overturn the Serbian celebrity’s visa ban.
Djokovic was hit with a three-year ban from getting into Australia after he was deported on the cusp of this 12 months’s match on account of COVID-19 vaccination standing points.
However the name by Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to abolish the ban will see Djokovic shoot for his tenth Australian Open title in January.
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“I think that’s the best scenario for the tournament because we want the best players playing at the Australian Open,” Woodbridge stated on 2GB’s Large World of Sports activities Radio.
“What goes into the Open in terms of the build-up, prizemoney, what it does to our reputation around the world — we want the very best to be allowed to come here and allowed to play.
“And given the truth that Novak has gained it 9 instances, he goes into it now as a heavy favorite after not being allowed to play this 12 months.”
Djokovic has slipped to eighth in the ATP rankings, but that’s largely due to the former world No.1 being absent from this year’s Australian Open and US Open.
Another significant factor is the ATP’s decision to not award ranking points at Wimbledon in response to the All England Club’s ban on players from Russia and Belarus.
If the ban hadn’t been imposed, Djokovic would have earned 2000 ranking points for winning the Wimbledon title.
“In my thoughts, the rankings this 12 months are so skewed,” Woodbridge said.
“He’s nonetheless the No.1 participant on the earth and to have him again is admittedly vital.”
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