BELGRADE: Novak Djokovic is hoping to be allowed to play at the Australian Open next year despite being kicked out of the country over his vaccination status in January, the Serbian told state television RTS on Monday.

Djokovic won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles in 2021 but was unable to defend his Melbourne Park crown due to his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

He lost his French Open title after going out to eventual champion Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals this year but retained his Wimbledon crown on Sunday.

The 21-time major champion cannot currently enter the US without being vaccinated against Covid, while his deportation from Australia carried with it a three-year re-entry ban.

“As things stand now, I cannot travel to Australia and the US, but I am hoping to get positive news,” Djokovic told RTS after being greeted by thousands of fans in front of Belgrade City Hall.

“I believe things will change for Australian Open. For the US Open there is not much time, but hope dies last. I would like to play at the US Open and Australia Open, but even if I do not it’s not the end of the world.”

Australia scrapped a rule that required international travellers to declare their Covid vaccination status last week.

Then Prime Minister Scott Morrison said when Djokovic was removed from Australia in January that his re-entry ban could be waived “in the right circumstances”.

After finishing 2021 one major short of a rare calendar-year Grand Slam, Djokovic’s season has not panned out as he would have envisaged after missing the Australian Open and losing to Nadal at Roland Garros.

However, the 35-year-old has won the last four editions of Wimbledon in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022, with the 2020 tournament cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He is now one Grand Slam title behind record holder Nadal, who has won 22 majors.

On Monday, thousands of people waved Serbian flags and shouted “Nole! Nole!” - Djokovic’s nickname in Serbian.

Authorities organised fireworks and a concert. Djokovic addressed the fans from the balcony of City Hall and threw 20 signed tennis balls into the crowd.

SERBIAN WINS SEVENTH WIMBLEDON CROWN

On Sunday, Djokovic stayed serene amid a frenzied atmosphere to tame fiery Australian Nick Kyrgios in an engrossing final on Sunday, lifting a seventh Wimbledon trophy.

Rallying from a set down, Djokovic exhibited ice-cool nerves in sweltering conditions to win 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) for his fourth consecutive trophy at the grasscourt major.

Competing in a men’s record 32nd major final on a sun-bathed Centre Court, the 35-year-old was facing an unseeded opponent who had never been beyond the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam before this fortnight.

Interestingly, Serbian Djokovic slipped four places in the world rankings released on Monday despite retaining the Wimbledon title due to the men’s tour governing body’s controversial decision not to award ranking points for the Grand Slam event.

The ATP and WTA made the call after Wimbledon organisers barred Russian and Belarusian players due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russian and Belarusian players have been permitted by the ATP and WTA to carry on competing at tour events but under a neutral banner. Kyrgios slips to 45th in the rankings, a drop of five places.

Kyrgios in the final did not allow Djokovic any look at his delivery in the opening set, getting 77 per cent of his first serves in and firing down seven aces.

A couple of well-disguised drop shots from Kyrgios helped him set up two breakpoints in the fifth game and a double fault from Djokovic brought up the first break of serve, which was enough for the unseeded Kyrgios to take the lead.

Focused from the start, Kyrgios, however, did not forget to entertain the crowd when he could. There was an underarm serve and he hit a return on the half volley between his legs to delight the Centre Court crowd.

No one, however, expected it to be an easy straight-sets match with Djokovic having not lost a match on the manicured lawns at the All England Club since he retired injured during his 2017 quarter-final against Czech Tomas Berdych.

Djokovic’s delivery went up a gear and the Serb slowly but surely started demonstrating why he is considered the best returner in the sport.

He would have been hoping to read the Kyrgios serve better and for his opponent’s level to drop and once it did in the fourth game of the second set, Djokovic was ready to pounce.

With Djokovic serving to level the match at one set apiece, however, the 27-year-old Kyrgios raised his game to set up four break points, only for the top seed to save all of them and convert his first set point to leave the Australian fuming.

Kyrgios was furious with himself and poured out his frustrations in a lengthy rant aimed at his box.

During the first week of the grasscourt Grand Slam, Kyrgios played his usual role of pantomime villain but as his run got deeper, the 27-year-old presented a much calmer demeanour to reach the biggest match of his career.

The Australian maverick was back to his usual hot-headed self during the third set as Djokovic started playing pristine tennis.

Kyrgios got broken from 40-love up in the ninth game and continued swearing and shouting at his box.

Djokovic ignored the drama across the net and after holding serve to bag the third set he calmly collected his bag and left the court, leaving his opponent sitting on his chair and shaking his head in frustration.

After both players failed to create a breakpoint in the fourth set, Djokovic dominated the tiebreaker and sealed the Championship on his third match point after three hours when Kyrgios found the net on a return.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2022