Novak Djokovic may be ranked fifth in the ATP rankings heading into the 2023 calendar year, but heading into the 2023 Australian Open, the native of Belgrade, Serbia could be considered by many as the favourite to win his 10th Australian Open championship. On Tuesday, Djokovic arrived in Australia to prepare for the first major of the 2023 tennis season.
Usually when a tennis player arrives into another country to get ready for a tennis tournament, it is not newsworthy. However, Djokovic’s arrival in Australia is newsworthy because of the sequence of events from a year ago. Due to the fact Djokovic is unvaccinated for coronavirus, he was not allowed to enter Australia for the 2022 Australian Open. It should be noted that Djokovic is still unvaccinated, but Australia has since lifted “strict rules for unvaccinated travellers” and that Djokovic was granted a visa according to Australian Immigration Minister Andrew Giles in an Associated Press report.
Djokovic previously won the Australian Open in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Djokovic’s nine Australian Open men’s singles titles are the most ever. It should be noted that Rafael Nadal of Spain has won the most French Open men’s singles titles (14), and Roger Federer of Switzerland has won the most Wimbledon men’s singles titles (eight). Meanwhile, three Americans (Richard Sears, Bill Tilden, and William Larned) have won the most United States Opens as they have won seven each.
One may wonder why Djokovic should be considered the favourite in Melbourne next month when he is getting up in age at 35. One reason is simple. He is still playing top quality tennis as we saw at the ATP Finals in November.
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