SYDNEY, Australia — After months of speculation that
Novak Djokovic may miss the Australian Open over tough
COVID-19 vaccination
requirements, the world number one was on Tuesday named to play in a Sydney
tournament weeks before.
اضافة اعلان
The 20-time Grand Slam champion had cast doubt on whether he
would defend his title at Melbourne Park next month, refusing to reveal whether
he was inoculated against coronavirus.
However, he was listed as part of the five-man Serbia team
when the draw was made for the ATP Cup in Sydney that will precede the opening
major of the year.
Rafael Nadal was missing, with the Spanish fellow 20-time
Grand Slam winner last month suggesting he would play an exhibition in
Abu Dhabi this month, then another tournament before arriving in Melbourne for the
Australian Open.
The only other absent top 20 player for the 16-team ATP Cup
was injured Swiss great
Roger Federer.
"The playing group enjoy representing their countries
and to see 18 of the world's top 20 players commit to the event is testament to
that," said tournament director Tom Larner. "The event shows off the
passion the playing group have for this format."
An ATP statement accompanying the draw noted that top seed
Serbia was "headlined by world number Novak Djokovic,” who won three of
the season's four Grand Slams.
The 34-year-old ended his rollercoaster season with a
Davis Cup defeat last week and then promised to make a decision on his Australian
Open participation "very soon.”
Organizers of the Australian Open have insisted only fully-vaccinated
players will be allowed into the country, which saw Djokovic's father Srdjan
last month suggest his son "probably won't" play.
"Of course he would want to go with all his
heart," he told Serbian television.
"But I really don't know if that will happen. Probably
not under these conditions, with this blackmail and when it's done that
way."
Djokovic contracted COVID-19 during the ill-fated Adria Tour
event he organized in the Balkans in June 2020, but said he did not suffer from
any symptoms.
Russia are the defending ATP Cup champions after their team
spearheaded by Daniil Medvedev and
Andrey Rublev swept past a Matteo
Berrettini-led Italy in the final.
Djokovic's Serbia won the inaugural event in 2020,
overpowering the Nadal-led Spain.
The teams in next year's US$10 million event, from January
1-9, are divided into four groups of four, playing across two Sydney venues —
the Ken Rosewall Arena and Qudos Bank Arena — with each tie comprising two
singles matches and one doubles.
Top seeds Serbia were grouped with Spain, Norway and Chile,
while Russia will face Italy, Austria and home nation Australia.
Germany, led by reigning ATP Finals champion Alexander
Zverev, headline Group C against Canada, Great Britain and the United States,
while Greece, featuring world number four
Stefanos Tsitsipas, are in Group D
with Poland, Argentina and Georgia.
It kicks off a bumper series of ATP and WTA tournaments in
the lead-up to the Australian Open, beginning on January 17, with events across
Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne.
Read more Sports
.jpg)
.jpg)
