World number one Novak Djokovic said on Tuesday he would defend his Australian Open title at Melbourne Park later this month after receiving a medical exemption from getting vaccinated against Covid-19.
Djokovic, who had declined to reveal his Covid-19 vaccination status, said previously that he was unsure whether he would compete at the Grand Slam due to concerns over Australia’s quarantine rules.
“I’ve spent fantastic quality time with my loved ones over the break and today I’m heading Down Under with an exemption permission. Let’s go 2022,” the Serbian player said on Instagram.
Organisers of the Australian Open, which starts on January 17, had stipulated that all participants must be vaccinated against the coronavirus or have a medical exemption granted by an independent panel of experts.
But Djokovic pulled out of the Serbia team for the ATP Cup in Sydney to raise doubts over his participation in the year’s first Grand Slam in Melbourne.
“I am ready to live and breathe tennis in the next few weeks of competition. Thanks everyone for the support,” Djokovic added in his statement, which was accompanied by a picture of him in an airport.
Djokovic has won a record nine Australian Open titles, including the last three, and is in a three-way tie on 20 majors with Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal in the all-time list.
Meanwhile, Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka said rediscovering her love for tennis and not focusing on results and rankings were among her top goals for 2022, following her return to action in Melbourne on Tuesday after a four-month break.
The Japanese former world number one struggled for form last year since withdrawing from the French Open in May following a row with tournament officials over required media appearances, which she said had a negative impact on her.
After losing to Leylah Fernandez in the third round of the U.S. Open in September, Osaka took a break from the sport to focus on her mental health.
The 24-year-old looked rusty victory over Frenchwoman Alize Cornet on Tuesday but said she was happy with the way she handled herself.
"I only really have one major goal this year, and it's completely unrelated to results and stuff like that. I just want to feel like every time I step on the court... I'm having fun," Osaka told reporters.
"I can walk off the court knowing that even if I lost, I tried as hard as I could. Also I have a goal in the press room, that I'm never going to cry again, so hopefully that works out in my favour.
"I'm the type of person that cared a little bit too much about the results and the ranking. I just need to find a way to enjoy the game again, because that's the reason why I was playing in the first place."
