No player bigger than the event: Andrews, Tiley grapple over a potential Djokovic return in 2023

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Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley says he could see Novak Djokovic back at the 2023 Australian Open, but Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says Djokovic will only be welcome if he has been vaccinated.

Tiley told the ABC he could see Djokovic back in Australia next year despite being deported for not being vaccinated for COVID-19, but the world No.1 male player would need to receive permission from the federal government to return in future.

But Andrews told media on Sunday he was not comfortable with the Serbian superstar returning unless he has had the jab, something the player has refused to do so far.

“Yes,” Tiley replied when asked in an interview with the ABC whether the nine-time winner Djokovic would be back in 2023.

“Obviously lot of things have to play out this year, but that will be his intention.

“At the end of the day he’s the number one player in the world, and he loves the Australian Open.

“[But] it’s really important to note that the event … there’s no one person, there’s no organisation that is bigger than the event itself.”

Andrews said he hadn’t heard the comments from Tiley, but he retained the view that it wasn’t right for Djokovic to return without being vaccinated. The premier also reminded Victorians there are thousands of available vaccination or booster shot appointments free this week.

“My position is very clear. You want to come – here get vaccinated. It’s pretty simple,” Andrews said.

“Rafa [Nadal] had it right. It could all have been avoided if he just got vaccinated, and that fellow [Djokovic] might think he’s bigger than the tournament. He’s not. That’s why the tournament’s happening without him. And it’s a great success.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.Credit:Scott McNaughton

“To Mr Tiley and all of his team. I wish them well as they enter the second week. This is a major event. It’s the biggest thing in tennis in the first quarter of every year. Melbourne, London, New York and Paris are connected by some things. One of them is tennis, grand slam tennis.

“This event is much bigger than any one person. There was one person who thought differently. He’s not in the country. And the tournament’s happening, so that’s fantastic.”

“…That fellow [Djokovic] might think he’s bigger than the tournament. He’s not. That’s why the tournament’s happening without him. And it’s a great success.”

Tiley and Andrews did both state that no player is bigger than the event, and Tiley added he expected a billion people will have watched the Open by the end of next weekend.

“We always have been and always will be a player-first event. You can turn to every single player [and ask] about our focus on it,” Tiley said.

“Never will we ever not always try to do the right thing.

“And I think that in this case there was so much complexity and so much contradiction, and even confusion leading into the event [about entry rules into Australia] – we constantly sought that clarity.

“Everyone needs to take a step back. We’ll continue to remain a players’ first event and in a week’s time … there will be two [singles] winners.

“We’ll look back at the event. It will be again an event that has elevated the brand in Australia.

“We’ll have a billion people watching the Australian Open by the time we’ve finished the event next week.”

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