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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-times major champion cannot currently enter the U.S.
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
United States, 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 U.S.
Open there is not much time, but hope dies last. I would like to
play at the U.S. 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.
(The story corrects to remove references to vaccination
requirement to enter Australia throughout)
(Reporting by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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