Tennis News You Can Use
Novak Djokovic get his day in Australian court as his immigration status dominates tennis news heading into the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic wins court battle to stay in Australia, but government threatens to cancel his visa a second time
Tennis star Novak Djokovic on Monday won a court battle to stay in Australia to contest the Australian Open despite being unvaccinated against COVID-19, but the government threatened to cancel his visa a second time. Full Story: ESPN (1/10)
Novak Djokovic fiasco: Leaked Tennis Australia letter damning for organisation
A leaked letter written by Tennis Australia gave unvaccinated players the wrong information about their ability to enter the country. Full Story: The Herald Sun (Australia) (1/7)
Czech doubles specialist Voracova joins Djokovic in detention amid vaccine row
The Czech doubles specialist Renata Voracova had entered Melbourne with the same medical exemption for which Djokovic was denied access, having signified that she had recently recovered from Covid-19. Full Story: The Guardian (1/7)
Novak Djokovic and Fellow Star Vaccine Skeptics Are Increasingly Scorned
In a less dangerous time, a more forgiving public viewed Novak Djokovic’s nontraditional views of science and health as the quirky characteristics of a hyperactive seeker with strongly held beliefs about everything from sports to spirituality. Full Story: New York Times (1/6)
The Novak Djokovic saga has turned the spotlight on deep divisions in Australian society
Djokovic’s hubris hasn’t helped. But no one — not the various levels of government, not Tennis Australia and Craig Tiley — come out of this looking good. Full Story: CNN (1/7)
Vaccinated tennis star: You’re trying to let Novak Djokovic play, now let me
Natalia Vikhlyantseva took the Sputnik vaccine in October was Russia’s Sputnik, which is not recognised in many western countries. She was denied the opportunity to play the Australian Open on that basis. Full Story: iTV (1/6)
‘If you are vaccinated you can play’: Rafael Nadal short on sympathy for Djokovic
“The only thing that I can say is I believe in what the people who know about medicine say, and if the people say that we need to get vaccinated, we need to get the vaccine. That’s my point of view,” said Nadal. Full Story: The Guardian (1/7)
Cornet says still worried about China’s Peng
France’s Alize Cornet said she is still worried about Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai and that she wants more clarity regarding the former doubles world number one’s situation. Cornet has been one of the most vocal players on the well being of Shuai. Full Story: WTVB (1/7)
Bird Craps on Reilly Opelka During Match
A bird brought new meaning to “deuce” at the Melbourne Summer Set … by crapping all over Reilly Opelka during a match. Full Story: TMZ (1/7)
New Balls Please!
Sebastian Korda tested positive for COVID after landing in quarantine and tweeted the following video from his quarantine hotel.
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location/Timezone |
| 1/10-15 | Sydney Tennis Classic | WTA 500 | Sydney, Australia (GMT + 11) |
| 1/10-15 | Sydney Tennis Classic | ATP 250 | Sydney, Australia (GMT + 11) |
| 1/10-15 | Adelaide International 2 | ATP 250 | Adelaide, Australia (GMT + 10:30) |
| 1/10-15 | Adelaide International 2 | WTA 250 | Adelaide, Australia (GMT + 10:30) |
Fun Fact: Australia has a timezone that is shifted from the rest of the world by a half hour.
