Tennis great Novak Djokovic is set to be granted a visa to compete in next year's Australian Open, where the Serbian will be chasing his 22nd Grand Slam win.
Djokovic was slapped with a three-year ban from entering Australia, after being dramatically deported on the eve of this year's Open, over issues surrounding his COVID-19 vaccination status.
The ABC has confirmed reports in The Guardian that Immigration Minister Andrew Giles has overturned that ban, and is set to grant Djokovic a visa to return to Australia for the January tournament.
While the vaccine mandate is no longer an obstacle for the former world number one, Djokovic's lawyers have spent months trying to have the visa ban overturned.
As recently as Monday, Djokovic told reporters his lawyers were still waiting to hear from the Australian government.
"Nothing official yet. We are waiting. They are communicating with the government of Australia. That's all I can tell you for now," Djokovic said after winning his opening match at the ATP Finals in Turin on Monday night.
Before the news broke, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley also expressed optimism that the government would allow Djokovic back into the country.
"There's a normal visa application process that everyone is going through right now, and everyone will go through the right timing," Tiley told AAP.
"I don't think there should be any preferential treatment for anyone.
"But I fully expect to have an answer for everyone by the time that they need to book their flights and come in, including Novak.
"That's entirely up to the Australian government. I know Novak wants to come and play and to get back to competing.
"He loves Australia and it's where he's had the best success, but the timing is up to somebody else and we'll just play that one by ear."
Tiley was caught in the middle of last summer's firestorm, breaking the news to the nine-time champion that he had secured a medical exemption to play at Melbourne Park, only for the then-immigration minister Alex Hawke to personally intervene and boot Djokovic out of Australia.
AAP/Reuters
