Now that the controversy surrounding Novak Djokovic’s vaccination status and deportation is finally behind him, the tennis player is hopeful that the audience will give him a warm welcome when he returns to the Australian Open the following month. Djokovic was deported earlier this year.
Djokovic, who had won a total of nine titles at Melbourne Park, was expelled from Australia in 2022 because it was feared that he would stir up anti-vaccination sentiment there. As a result, he was unable to play in the first Grand Slam tournament of the new tennis season.
As a consequence of his deportation, Djokovic was prohibited from entering Australia ever again; however, that decision has since been reversed, and the fifth-ranked player in the world is ecstatic that he will now have the opportunity to compete for a tenth title in Melbourne and a men’s record-tying 22nd major title overall.
“I have the highest expectations for myself at all times, so let’s find out. Djokovic told reporters at the World Tennis League in Dubai on Friday that he enjoys playing in Australia and that he has had the good fortune over the years to get off to a really great start in the country.
“After clearly what transpired earlier this year, I am hoping that I can get a positive reception there, and I am hoping that this might help me play some good tennis.”
Due to his anti-vaccination attitude, the 35-year-old Djokovic was forced to skip the US Open this year, making him ineligible to play in two of the four major tournaments that took place in 2018.
However, he was able to complete his 2022 season on a high note by capturing championships in Tel Aviv, Astana, and the ATP Finals in Turin. Additionally, he made it all the way to the final of the Paris Masters.
At addition, he was victorious in Rome and Wimbledon, with a record of 42-7 for the season overall in terms of wins and losses.
In the past, the Serb has said that he hoped to continue playing well into his 40s.
When asked whether he still had such sentiments, Djokovic said, “I would want to play for as long as I possibly can.” I don’t really have any kind of number in my thoughts at all. Everything seems to be going very well for me so far. I have no reason to grumble. I’ll keep going as long as I can maintain this level of play and as long as I still have the drive.
Iga Swiatek, who is ranked number one in the world, was ecstatic to learn that she had made it to the fifth place on Forbes’ annual list of the world’s highest-paid female athletes.
However, the Polish player, who is now 21 years old, has said that she wants to increase the number of endorsements she has so that her income isn’t only reliant on how well she plays on the court.
Forbes estimates that Swiatek brought in $14.9 million in revenue over the course of the last year, with $9.9 million of that total coming from prize money won in tournaments.
Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams are allegedly earned $51.1 million and $41.3 million respectively, making them the top two athletes on the list. This is despite the fact that both athletes have spent a drastically reduced amount of time participating on tour in 2022.
“That is not my driving force. Swiatek, who won eight championships in 2022, including two Grand Slams, said that the times on the court when she had the most joy were those in which she did not worry about such matters.